🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,198 in San Fernando versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,963 in San Fernando versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,727 in San Fernando versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in San Fernando costs roughly 5% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando11% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.19TTD 68.9
$4.56฿149
123.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3TTD 401
$46.63฿1,519
27.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.36TTD 49.77
$8.47฿276
-13.11%
Cappuccino
$3.55TTD 24.03
$3.03฿98.6
17.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06TTD 7.15
$0.69฿22.45
53.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75TTD 5.06
$0.37฿11.92
102.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.89TTD 12.77
$2.49฿81.0
-24.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46TTD 16.63
$3.66฿119
-32.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.07TTD 14.01
$2.18฿71.0
-5.05%
White Bread(500g)
$2.34TTD 15.81
$1.90฿62.0
23.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.63TTD 17.77
$2.20฿71.6
19.55%
Eggs
$3.77TTD 25.47
$2.22฿72.4
69.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.96TTD 53.8
$19.99฿651
-60.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.53TTD 71.2
$3.66฿119
187.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.52TTD 57.6
$13.25฿432
-35.70%
Apples(1kg)
$5.96TTD 40.27
$3.23฿105
84.52%
Banana(1kg)
$2.58TTD 17.48
$1.70฿55.3
51.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.32TTD 29.23
$2.39฿78.0
80.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.74TTD 32.05
$2.08฿67.7
127.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.23TTD 8.30
$1.59฿51.8
-22.64%
Onion(1kg)
$0.73TTD 4.92
$1.48฿48.31
-50.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.46TTD 9.84
$1.03฿33.54
41.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21TTD 8.16
$0.52฿16.83
132.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.69TTD 38.45
$4.25฿138
33.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.94TTD 121
$18.79฿612
-4.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54TTD 10.41
$1.76฿57.2
-12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82TTD 19.06
$2.76฿89.8
2.17%
🚌 Getting Around
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.42TTD 2.86
$1.36฿44.32
-69.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.75TTD 296
$11.36฿370
285.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.86TTD 5.79
$3.14฿102
-72.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.91TTD 6.16
$1.04฿33.74
-12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.70TTD 99.4
$13.77฿448
6.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.03TTD 6.98
$1.34฿43.79
-23.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8KTTD 228.2K
$27.7K฿901.4K
21.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4KTTD 259.8K
$33.9K฿1.1M
13.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.62TTD 302
$124฿4,025
-63.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.80TTD 283
$13.52฿440
209.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.79TTD 310
$18.69฿609
145.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.66TTD 309
$61.8฿2,013
-26.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.95TTD 60.5
$17.25฿562
-48.12%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01TTD 60.9
$9.14฿298
-1.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$324TTD 2,190
$703฿22.9K
-53.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,257TTD 15.3K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-85.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.69TTD 302
$59.5฿1,937
-24.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.57TTD 247
$35.07฿1,142
4.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.0TTD 602
$115฿3,754
-22.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.7TTD 593
$84.1฿2,737
4.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$550TTD 3,720
$619฿20.1K
-11.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$341TTD 2,302
$433฿14.1K
-21.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$952TTD 6,436
$2,062฿67.2K
-53.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$697TTD 4,714
$1,511฿49.2K
-53.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,003TTD 13.5K
$3,646฿118.7K
-45.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,489TTD 10.1K
$2,626฿85.5K
-43.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Fernando
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,031TTD 6,971
$507฿16.5K
103.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.38
5.33
0.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $550 in San Fernando and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰San Fernando pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $59.0 in San Fernando vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $293 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 Fernando vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Fernando?
San Fernando is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Fernando or Phuket?
San Fernando pays 103% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between San Fernando and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $550 in San Fernando versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $324 in San Fernando versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in San Fernando and Phuket?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for San Fernando or Phuket?
At $1,198 in San Fernando versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Fernando or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, San Fernando 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 Fernando or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Fernando 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 Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
San Fernando vs other spots: cost of living compared