Cost of Living Comparison Between Samana and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Samana and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $817 in Samana versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in Samana versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Samana versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Samana costs roughly 35% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samana 39% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 DOP 255

$4.56 ฿149

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 DOP 2,144

$46.63 ฿1,519

-21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 DOP 431

$8.47 ฿276

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$1.73 DOP 101

$3.03 ฿98.6

-42.90%

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

$0.75 DOP 44.16

$0.69 ฿22.45

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 DOP 49.57

$0.37 ฿11.92

129.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 147

$2.49 ฿81.0

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 DOP 244

$3.66 ฿119

13.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 81.0

$2.18 ฿71.0

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 DOP 48.04

$1.90 ฿62.0

-56.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 51.1

$2.20 ฿71.6

-60.45%

Eggs

$2.10 DOP 123

$2.22 ฿72.4

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 DOP 371

$19.99 ฿651

-68.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 DOP 311

$3.66 ฿119

45.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 DOP 495

$13.25 ฿432

-36.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 175

$3.23 ฿105

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.3

$1.70 ฿55.3

-49.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 DOP 81.7

$2.39 ฿78.0

-41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 DOP 95.3

$2.08 ฿67.7

-21.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 DOP 98.9

$1.59 ฿51.8

6.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.48 ฿48.31

16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 DOP 30.96

$1.03 ฿33.54

-48.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 DOP 39.06

$0.52 ฿16.83

28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 DOP 244

$4.25 ฿138

-2.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 DOP 513

$18.79 ฿612

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 151

$1.76 ฿57.2

46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 DOP 170

$2.76 ฿89.8

5.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 DOP 47.34

$1.36 ฿44.32

-40.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 194

$3.14 ฿102

5.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 DOP 62.6

$1.04 ฿33.74

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 DOP 351

$13.77 ฿448

-56.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 DOP 72.2

$1.34 ฿43.79

-8.21%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-2.88%

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

$31.9K DOP 1.9M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-5.94%

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

$50.4 DOP 2,954

$124 ฿4,025

-59.20%

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

$16.85 DOP 987

$13.52 ฿440

24.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 DOP 2,150

$18.69 ฿609

96.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 DOP 395

$9.14 ฿298

-26.26%

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

$263 DOP 15.4K

$703 ฿22.9K

-62.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,189 DOP 479.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-48.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 DOP 3,474

$59.5 ฿1,937

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,068

$35.07 ฿1,142

49.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 DOP 5,566

$115 ฿3,754

-17.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,778

$84.1 ฿2,737

37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 DOP 18.2K

$619 ฿20.1K

-49.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 DOP 14.9K

$433 ฿14.1K

-41.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 DOP 43.7K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 DOP 31.5K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-64.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

5.33

142.03%

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

Last update for Samana: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Samana and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Samana vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $293 per month, with Samana 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

Samana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,226 in Samana and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $310 in Samana versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Samana versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samana – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Samana versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Samana 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 Samana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.