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: $1,267 in Salto versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Salto versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Salto versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Salto is roughly 3% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salto 5% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 UYU 797

$4.63 ฿151

333.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 UYU 1,586

$46.84 ฿1,532

-14.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 UYU 373

$8.84 ฿289

6.22%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 123

$3.00 ฿98.0

2.67%

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

$2.31 UYU 91.7

$0.74 ฿24.25

212.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 59.8

$0.37 ฿11.95

305.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 173

$2.44 ฿79.8

77.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 UYU 128

$3.61 ฿118

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 UYU 40.91

$2.26 ฿73.9

-54.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 UYU 47.25

$1.84 ฿60.1

-35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.5

$2.24 ฿73.4

-35.71%

Eggs

$3.29 UYU 131

$2.32 ฿75.7

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.42 UYU 773

$19.67 ฿643

-1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 UYU 291

$3.65 ฿119

100.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 400

$13.10 ฿428

-23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 UYU 38.37

$2.41 ฿79.0

-60.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 57.5

$2.03 ฿66.4

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 UYU 19.63

$1.02 ฿33.50

-51.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 UYU 48.13

$0.49 ฿16.00

146.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 UYU 202

$4.45 ฿145

14.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 UYU 293

$18.88 ฿617

-60.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 74.9

$1.78 ฿58.1

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 90.1

$2.75 ฿90.1

-17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 49.14

$1.40 ฿45.81

-11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.29 UYU 1,762

$11.48 ฿376

285.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 UYU 58.9

$3.12 ฿102

-52.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 59.9

$1.00 ฿32.67

51.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.82 UYU 431

$14.09 ฿461

-23.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 75.1

$1.35 ฿44.19

40.00%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

45.26%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

19.90%

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

$183 UYU 7,292

$125 ฿4,087

46.66%

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

$20.35 UYU 810

$13.57 ฿444

49.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.98 UYU 1,352

$18.52 ฿606

83.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 UYU 1,252

$61.5 ฿2,010

-48.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 UYU 379

$9.19 ฿300

3.59%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 UYU 2,726

$57.8 ฿1,889

18.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 UYU 2,446

$35.24 ฿1,152

74.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,399

$113 ฿3,699

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,704

$86.4 ฿2,825

-21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 UYU 16.9K

$616 ฿20.1K

-31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.0K

$446 ฿14.6K

-37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 UYU 29.9K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-63.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 UYU 18.7K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-68.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 UYU 25.5K

$524 ฿17.1K

22.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Salto: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Salto and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salto pays 22% 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: $40.00 in Salto vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $292 per month, with Salto cheaper across the board.

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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Salto pays 22% more on average, 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: $424 in Salto versus $616 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 $47.00 versus $40.00 in Salto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 286% less than in Salto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,267 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 3% less than in Salto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.