😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,035 in San Gwann versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,034 in San Gwann versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in San Gwann versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in San Gwann is roughly 65% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: San Gwann is 52% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.66€18.50
$4.63฿151
367.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3€58.3
$46.84฿1,523
45.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.46€9.79
$8.84฿287
29.64%
Cappuccino
$2.77€2.36
$3.00฿97.4
-7.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20€1.88
$0.74฿24.11
197.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10€0.94
$0.37฿11.88
197.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.67€3.99
$2.44฿79.3
91.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74€4.05
$3.61฿117
31.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36€1.16
$2.26฿73.5
-39.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52€1.30
$1.84฿59.8
-17.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.40€2.90
$2.24฿73.0
51.79%
Eggs
$3.60€3.07
$2.32฿75.3
55.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86€8.42
$19.67฿639
-49.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.82€9.24
$3.65฿119
196.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.15€12.08
$13.10฿426
8.02%
Apples(1kg)
$3.42€2.92
$3.39฿110
0.88%
Banana(1kg)
$2.07€1.77
$1.64฿53.4
26.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.75€2.35
$2.41฿78.5
14.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.30€2.82
$2.03฿66.0
62.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85€1.58
$1.56฿50.6
18.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.53€1.31
$1.50฿48.66
2.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.94€1.65
$1.02฿33.30
90.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72€0.62
$0.49฿15.91
46.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84€5.84
$4.45฿145
53.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.47€6.38
$18.88฿614
-60.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27€1.08
$1.78฿57.7
-28.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31€1.12
$2.75฿89.5
-52.36%
🚌 Getting Around
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.36€2.01
$1.40฿45.54
68.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$15.03€12.84
$11.48฿373
30.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.15€6.10
$3.12฿101
129.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90€1.62
$1.00฿32.48
90.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.39€29.37
$14.09฿458
144.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.56€1.33
$1.35฿43.93
15.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K€22.3K
$27.2K฿883.7K
-4.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5K€24.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-13.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118€101
$125฿4,063
-5.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.59€25.27
$13.57฿441
118.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50€28.61
$18.52฿602
80.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.9€49.48
$61.5฿1,999
-5.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.97€19.62
$16.84฿547
36.40%
Cinema Ticket
$10.62€9.07
$9.19฿299
15.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$447€382
$698฿22.7K
-35.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€9,848
$15.6K฿506.9K
-26.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4€48.15
$57.8฿1,878
-2.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.0€53.8
$35.24฿1,146
78.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.4€72.9
$113฿3,677
-24.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134€114
$86.4฿2,808
54.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,237€1,056
$616฿20.0K
100.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$970€828
$446฿14.5K
117.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,355€2,011
$2,048฿66.6K
14.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,636€1,397
$1,492฿48.5K
9.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,955€5,085
$3,779฿122.8K
57.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,884€2,463
$2,649฿86.1K
8.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Gwann
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,843€1,574
$524฿17.0K
251.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.28
5.33
-19.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Gwann: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in San Gwann and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰San Gwann pays 252% 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $292, with San Gwann cheaper for home cooking.
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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Gwann or Phuket?
San Gwann pays 252% 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 Gwann and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in San Gwann versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $447 in San Gwann versus $698 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 Phuket?
Shoppers in San Gwann pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for San Gwann or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,035 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 65% less than in San Gwann. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.