Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando, La Union and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando, La Union and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $677 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,387 in San Fernando, La Union versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in San Fernando, La Union costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando, La Union 49% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₱224

$4.70 ฿153

-22.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.01 ₱1,111

$45.37 ฿1,482

-60.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 ₱200

$8.43 ฿275

-61.57%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ₱153

$2.93 ฿95.6

-15.36%

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

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.69 ฿22.40

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.54

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱79.9

$2.41 ฿78.6

-46.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱130

$3.72 ฿122

-43.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.23 ฿72.9

31.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.3

$1.83 ฿59.8

-30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.4

$2.17 ฿70.8

-57.14%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱123

$2.21 ฿72.3

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 ₱504

$19.74 ฿645

-58.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₱261

$3.63 ฿119

16.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱463

$13.53 ฿442

-44.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱182

$3.28 ฿107

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.4

$1.61 ฿52.6

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.41 ฿78.6

9.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₱99.3

$2.08 ฿68.1

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱142

$1.53 ฿49.93

50.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$1.48 ฿48.36

76.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$0.99 ฿32.29

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱44.80

$0.51 ฿16.67

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱180

$4.41 ฿144

-33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ₱506

$19.38 ฿633

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.78 ฿58.1

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱123

$2.71 ฿88.6

-26.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.37

$1.37 ฿44.79

-79.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$3.02 ฿98.6

-72.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.88

$0.99 ฿32.48

-75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱128

$14.10 ฿461

-85.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.2

$1.36 ฿44.51

-14.71%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-7.25%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-37.01%

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

$111 ₱6,873

$122 ฿3,975

-8.41%

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

$32.80 ₱2,023

$13.57 ฿443

141.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.83 ₱1,716

$18.31 ฿598

51.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.42 ₱828

$60.2 ฿1,967

-77.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$17.14 ฿560

-73.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ₱359

$8.69 ฿284

-33.03%

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

$153 ₱9,463

$693 ฿22.6K

-77.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,736 ₱353.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-63.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 ₱2,770

$59.5 ฿1,944

-24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.48 ₱1,633

$34.77 ฿1,136

-23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.74 ₱2,204

$115 ฿3,743

-68.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.67 ₱2,508

$83.3 ฿2,720

-51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 ₱8,067

$613 ฿20.0K

-78.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₱7,593

$437 ฿14.3K

-71.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₱15.4K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 ₱13.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-85.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 ₱142.8K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-38.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 ₱60.1K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-62.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.33

25.14%

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

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in San Fernando, La Union and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $293 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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 Fernando, La Union vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando, La Union is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,016 in San Fernando, La Union and $1,898 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: $131 in San Fernando, La Union versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in San Fernando, La Union versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Fernando, La Union – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $677 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Fernando, La Union 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, San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.