Cost of Living Comparison Between San Dimas, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Dimas, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in San Dimas, CA versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,808 in San Dimas, CA versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,080 in San Dimas, CA versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in San Dimas, CA is roughly 101% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Dimas, CA is 90% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 $18.25

$4.53 ฿153

302.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 $81.6

$46.36 ฿1,565

76.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$8.65 ฿292

3.35%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.09 ฿104

68.93%

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

$3.48 $3.48

$0.68 ฿22.89

411.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.37 ฿12.44

491.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 $7.01

$2.42 ฿81.6

189.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 $7.55

$3.81 ฿129

98.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.18 ฿73.5

-46.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.82 ฿61.3

126.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.18 ฿73.5

111.47%

Eggs

$3.80 $3.80

$2.24 ฿75.4

69.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$19.93 ฿673

-38.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$3.64 ฿123

345.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$13.56 ฿458

14.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.29 ฿111

34.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.69 ฿56.9

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.33 ฿78.8

121.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$2.03 ฿68.4

172.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.60 ฿54.0

98.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.49 ฿50.5

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.01 ฿34.17

106.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.48 ฿16.09

337.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$4.45 ฿150

147.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$18.63 ฿629

-15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.79 ฿60.3

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.80 ฿94.4

22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.42 ฿47.90

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 $6.70

$3.09 ฿104

116.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.04 ฿35.19

50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.66 $28.66

$13.63 ฿460

110.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.31 ฿44.23

-0.76%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-6.30%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-11.43%

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

$156 $156

$123 ฿4,157

27.01%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$13.81 ฿466

295.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$18.52 ฿625

209.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.75 $42.75

$60.4 ฿2,037

-29.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$8.89 ฿300

69.97%

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

$1,493 $1,493

$687 ฿23.2K

117.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

49.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.75 $46.75

$57.6 ฿1,945

-18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.38 $33.38

$34.66 ฿1,170

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$115 ฿3,879

-11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$84.9 ฿2,865

18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$618 ฿20.8K

160.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$443 ฿15.0K

203.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$2,047 ฿69.1K

27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 $2,218

$1,506 ฿50.8K

47.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,014 $3,014

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-15.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,455 $2,455

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-2.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 $4,067

$503 ฿17.0K

709.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.33

24.58%

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

Last update for San Dimas, CA: July 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in San Dimas, CA and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Dimas, CA pays 709% 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: $82.0 in San Dimas, CA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $292 per month, with Phuket 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

San Dimas, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 709% higher in San Dimas, CA, 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: $1,608 in San Dimas, CA versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,493 in San Dimas, CA versus $687 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $82.0 in San Dimas, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,536 in San Dimas, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Dimas, CA. 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 San Dimas, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Dimas, CA 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 101% less than in San Dimas, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.