😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,073 in San Gwann versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,192 in San Gwann versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,312 in San Gwann versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in San Gwann is roughly 68% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: San Gwann is 52% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.92€19.09
$4.41฿147
397.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0€59.2
$32.26฿1,073
110.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.67€11.91
$8.93฿297
53.08%
Cappuccino
$2.94€2.56
$2.90฿96.3
1.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13€1.86
$0.88฿29.27
142.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11€0.96
$0.48฿16.00
131.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.53€3.94
$2.35฿78.2
92.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57€3.98
$3.72฿124
22.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.37€1.19
$1.87฿62.0
-26.74%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52€1.32
$1.47฿48.75
3.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.58€3.12
$1.55฿51.6
130.97%
Eggs
$4.21€3.67
$2.10฿69.9
100.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.74€9.36
$19.59฿651
-45.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€10.94
$3.42฿114
267.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.32€15.96
$11.38฿378
60.98%
Apples(1kg)
$3.99€3.47
$2.98฿99.2
33.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.90€2.53
$1.68฿56.0
72.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.04€3.52
$2.21฿73.5
82.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.81€3.32
$2.16฿71.9
76.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.01€1.75
$1.52฿50.7
32.24%
Onion(1kg)
$2.36€2.05
$1.34฿44.49
76.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.35€2.05
$1.13฿37.53
107.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.40
$0.55฿18.17
190.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35€5.54
$4.26฿142
49.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.84€5.09
$19.09฿635
-69.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49€2.17
$1.78฿59.2
39.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47€2.15
$2.78฿92.5
-11.15%
🚌 Getting Around
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.37€2.06
$2.23฿74.1
6.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.92€13.00
$22.74฿756
-34.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.93€3.42
$3.03฿101
29.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.83€1.59
$1.02฿34.02
79.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.27€28.98
$3.89฿129
755.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.52€1.32
$1.49฿49.57
2.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K€25.5K
$26.6K฿883.8K
10.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K€30.3K
$27.0K฿898.7K
28.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120€104
$102฿3,407
16.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.04€27.92
$11.33฿377
182.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.98€32.22
$17.40฿578
112.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.9€51.3
$52.1฿1,732
13.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.07€16.61
$11.07฿368
72.27%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34€9.00
$7.69฿256
34.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$289€252
$561฿18.6K
-48.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.0K
$11.5K฿382.6K
0.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4€49.09
$63.0฿2,096
-10.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.0€54.9
$29.52฿982
113.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.0€73.2
$98.0฿3,259
-14.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133€116
$88.5฿2,943
49.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,061
$738฿24.5K
64.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027€895
$482฿16.0K
112.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,406€2,096
$2,107฿70.0K
14.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,721€1,500
$1,226฿40.8K
40.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,734€4,995
$3,617฿120.3K
58.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,911€2,536
$2,603฿86.5K
11.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,805€1,573
$494฿16.4K
265.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.05
5.57
-27.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Gwann: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in San Gwann and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰San Gwann pays 266% 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: $68.0 in San Gwann vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $274 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 Gwann vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Gwann?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Gwann or Phuket?
Average pay runs 266% higher in San Gwann, 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 Gwann and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,218 in San Gwann versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $289 in San Gwann versus $561 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 Gwann and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in San Gwann. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in San Gwann or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,073 in San Gwann, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Gwann. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Gwann or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Gwann, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, San Gwann or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Gwann 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in San Gwann. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.