Cost of Living Comparison Between San Felipe and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Felipe and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,165 in San Felipe versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in San Felipe versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,595 in San Felipe versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in San Felipe costs roughly 7% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Felipe 15% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.28 MX$123
$4.56 ฿150
59.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.85 MX$808
$32.62 ฿1,072
46.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.96 MX$151
$8.90 ฿293
0.67%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$61.1
$2.80 ฿92.2
29.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.08
$0.88 ฿28.93
62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 MX$16.83
$0.49 ฿16.08
104.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.89 MX$48.84
$2.39 ฿78.5
20.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 MX$74.7
$3.71 ฿122
19.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 MX$30.09
$1.79 ฿58.7
-0.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.62 MX$44.24
$1.44 ฿47.38
81.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.95 MX$32.91
$1.58 ฿52.1
23.42%
Eggs
$2.62 MX$44.15
$2.13 ฿69.9
23.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.97 MX$135
$19.92 ฿655
-59.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.14 MX$154
$3.43 ฿113
166.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.42 MX$210
$11.33 ฿372
9.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.00 MX$50.7
$2.95 ฿96.9
1.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.01
$1.72 ฿56.6
10.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.20
$2.32 ฿76.4
-9.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 MX$33.29
$2.08 ฿68.4
-5.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 MX$34.95
$1.47 ฿48.33
40.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 MX$29.18
$1.36 ฿44.64
27.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 MX$26.15
$1.10 ฿36.12
40.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$21.67
$0.57 ฿18.89
124.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.67 MX$78.8
$4.27 ฿140
9.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.34 MX$208
$18.42 ฿605
-33.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 MX$33.80
$1.87 ฿61.5
6.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 MX$57.4
$2.92 ฿96.0
16.44%
🚌 Getting Around
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 MX$12.22
$2.22 ฿72.9
-67.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.90 ฿753
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 MX$45.32
$3.03 ฿99.6
-11.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 MX$30.96
$1.07 ฿35.31
71.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.23 MX$206
$3.93 ฿129
211.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 MX$24.05
$1.49 ฿49.04
-4.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K MX$333.8K
$27.1K ฿891.7K
-27.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K MX$463.6K
$27.5K ฿902.3K
0.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.6 MX$1,107
$103 ฿3,379
-36.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.12 MX$424
$10.99 ฿361
128.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.24 MX$612
$17.51 ฿576
106.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.16 MX$712
$53.5 ฿1,760
-21.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.68 MX$332
$11.20 ฿368
75.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.84 MX$98.6
$7.48 ฿246
-21.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$274 MX$4,629
$557 ฿18.3K
-50.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,003 MX$84.4K
$11.9K ฿389.6K
-57.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 MX$925
$64.1 ฿2,106
-14.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.96 MX$810
$29.07 ฿956
64.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 MX$1,924
$96.0 ฿3,154
18.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 MX$1,731
$90.3 ฿2,970
13.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 MX$12.1K
$730 ฿24.0K
-1.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$423 MX$7,139
$500 ฿16.4K
-15.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,128 MX$19.0K
$2,090 ฿68.7K
-46.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$801 MX$13.5K
$1,209 ฿39.7K
-33.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,917 MX$32.4K
$3,596 ฿118.2K
-46.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,055 MX$17.8K
$2,512 ฿82.6K
-58.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Felipe
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$503 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
5.57
102.87%

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

Last update for San Felipe: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in San Felipe and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in San Felipe vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $273 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 Felipe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Felipe?
San Felipe is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,747 in San Felipe and $1,880 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.
What is the rent difference between San Felipe and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in San Felipe versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $274 in San Felipe versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in San Felipe or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in San Felipe – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in San Felipe or in Phuket?
At $1,165 in San Felipe versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Felipe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Felipe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Felipe or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, San Felipe 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.
Which city is safer, San Felipe or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Felipe 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Felipe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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