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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in San José versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,558 in San José versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in San José versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in San José costs roughly 21% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: San José 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 UYU 649

$4.70 ฿154

242.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 UYU 2,223

$45.37 ฿1,489

21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 UYU 440

$8.43 ฿277

29.77%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 167

$2.93 ฿96.1

41.30%

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

$2.16 UYU 87.0

$0.69 ฿22.50

213.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.4

$0.37 ฿12.04

372.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 UYU 174

$2.41 ฿79.0

79.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 UYU 145

$3.72 ฿122

-3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 UYU 41.20

$2.23 ฿73.3

-54.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 UYU 77.0

$1.83 ฿60.1

4.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.6

$2.17 ฿71.1

-34.10%

Eggs

$2.51 UYU 101

$2.21 ฿72.6

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 UYU 485

$19.74 ฿648

-38.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 UYU 294

$3.63 ฿119

101.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 UYU 445

$13.53 ฿444

-18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.70

$3.28 ฿108

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UYU 58.7

$1.61 ฿52.9

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 48.38

$2.41 ฿79.0

-50.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$2.08 ฿68.4

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 UYU 40.10

$1.53 ฿50.2

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.62

$1.48 ฿48.58

-16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 UYU 52.5

$0.99 ฿32.44

31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.0

$0.51 ฿16.74

231.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 UYU 206

$4.41 ฿145

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 UYU 409

$19.38 ฿636

-47.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 95.0

$1.78 ฿58.4

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 UYU 123

$2.71 ฿89.0

12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.37 ฿44.99

-8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.42 UYU 1,788

$11.39 ฿374

289.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$3.02 ฿99.1

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 UYU 62.9

$0.99 ฿32.63

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.05 UYU 445

$14.10 ฿463

-21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$1.36 ฿44.71

37.50%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$28.2K ฿925.3K

22.82%

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

$36.2K UYU 1.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

9.92%

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

$168 UYU 6,783

$122 ฿3,993

38.45%

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

$16.39 UYU 660

$13.57 ฿445

20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.72 UYU 2,002

$18.31 ฿601

171.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 421

$8.69 ฿285

20.37%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$693 ฿22.8K

-30.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,892 UYU 357.9K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-43.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 UYU 3,798

$59.5 ฿1,953

58.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 UYU 1,880

$34.77 ฿1,141

34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,661

$115 ฿3,760

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,949

$83.3 ฿2,733

47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

5.33

6.57%

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

Last update for San José: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $55.0 in San José vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $293, with San José 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 José vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San José is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,505 in San José 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.

Childcare runs $482 in San José versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in San José versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San José but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San José the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San José 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 José 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 José gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.