Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Salto versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,944 in Salto versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,558 in Salto versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Salto is roughly 6% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salto 3% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 UYU 653

$4.43 ฿145

266.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.59 UYU 1,512

$35.07 ฿1,151

7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 UYU 476

$8.96 ฿294

32.25%

Cappuccino

$3.23 UYU 130

$3.00 ฿98.4

7.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 UYU 89.0

$0.77 ฿25.33

187.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 UYU 64.1

$0.47 ฿15.44

238.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.41 UYU 177

$2.40 ฿78.6

83.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 UYU 121

$3.75 ฿123

-19.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 UYU 58.1

$1.82 ฿59.8

-20.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 UYU 83.4

$1.42 ฿46.65

45.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.6

$1.55 ฿50.8

-2.58%

Eggs

$5.11 UYU 205

$2.13 ฿69.9

139.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 UYU 609

$19.76 ฿648

-23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 UYU 341

$3.48 ฿114

143.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 UYU 406

$11.09 ฿364

-8.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 UYU 51.0

$2.91 ฿95.5

-56.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 UYU 88.2

$1.66 ฿54.6

31.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.76

$2.27 ฿74.5

-46.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

$2.10 ฿68.8

-13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 UYU 36.69

$1.47 ฿48.24

-38.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.8

$1.41 ฿46.29

17.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 UYU 34.95

$1.09 ฿35.78

-20.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 UYU 61.7

$0.54 ฿17.58

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 UYU 208

$4.48 ฿147

15.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 UYU 308

$18.72 ฿614

-59.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 UYU 74.0

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 UYU 102

$2.95 ฿96.7

-13.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 UYU 36.26

$2.26 ฿74.1

-60.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.55 UYU 1,510

$23.07 ฿757

62.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 UYU 61.0

$3.04 ฿99.9

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 UYU 108

$1.09 ฿35.82

145.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.00 UYU 442

$3.82 ฿125

187.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.8

$1.49 ฿48.79

26.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

44.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

43.50%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 UYU 7,877

$102 ฿3,340

92.41%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.26 UYU 855

$11.28 ฿370

88.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 UYU 1,186

$17.75 ฿582

66.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.61 UYU 1,472

$54.2 ฿1,777

-32.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.56 UYU 505

$10.96 ฿360

14.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 UYU 391

$7.85 ฿258

23.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,548 UYU 182.9K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-60.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 UYU 3,481

$65.4 ฿2,144

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 UYU 2,249

$28.89 ฿948

93.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,647

$99.1 ฿3,250

16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 UYU 2,611

$90.3 ฿2,961

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 UYU 18.1K

$756 ฿24.8K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 UYU 11.8K

$487 ฿16.0K

-39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 UYU 30.1K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 UYU 17.2K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-64.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 UYU 24.5K

$502 ฿16.5K

21.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Salto: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Salto and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salto pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Salto vs $35.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $272, with Salto cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Salto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Salto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Salto versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $38.00 in Salto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 63% less than in Salto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,331 in Salto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Salto. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Salto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Salto and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Salto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.