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: $993 in San José versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in San José versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in San José versus $3,291 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 26% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.90 UYU 638

$4.53 ฿153

250.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,227

$46.36 ฿1,562

19.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 UYU 445

$8.65 ฿291

28.21%

Cappuccino

$4.30 UYU 173

$3.09 ฿104

39.16%

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

$2.24 UYU 89.8

$0.68 ฿22.85

229.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 71.5

$0.37 ฿12.41

381.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 179

$2.42 ฿81.4

84.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$3.81 ฿128

-1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 UYU 41.21

$2.18 ฿73.4

-52.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 UYU 80.2

$1.82 ฿61.2

9.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.4

$2.18 ฿73.3

-33.49%

Eggs

$2.62 UYU 105

$2.24 ฿75.3

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 UYU 494

$19.93 ฿671

-38.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 UYU 298

$3.64 ฿123

103.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 UYU 447

$13.56 ฿457

-17.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 UYU 49.72

$3.29 ฿111

-62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

$1.69 ฿56.8

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.43

$2.33 ฿78.6

-48.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.7

$2.03 ฿68.3

-29.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 UYU 40.38

$1.60 ฿53.9

-36.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 48.01

$1.49 ฿50.4

-19.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.2

$1.01 ฿34.11

30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 UYU 69.7

$0.48 ฿16.06

262.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 UYU 202

$4.45 ฿150

13.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 UYU 329

$18.63 ฿628

-55.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 UYU 92.7

$1.79 ฿60.2

29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 UYU 122

$2.80 ฿94.2

8.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 UYU 47.90

$1.42 ฿47.81

-16.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.33 UYU 1,739

$11.33 ฿382

282.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$3.09 ฿104

-53.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 UYU 62.0

$1.04 ฿35.13

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.93 UYU 439

$13.63 ฿459

-19.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.6

$1.31 ฿44.15

38.17%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$27.3K ฿919.1K

26.47%

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

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

7.29%

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

$169 UYU 6,775

$123 ฿4,149

37.03%

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

$16.47 UYU 661

$13.81 ฿465

19.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.92 UYU 2,004

$18.52 ฿624

169.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 UYU 427

$8.89 ฿299

19.80%

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

$490 UYU 19.7K

$687 ฿23.1K

-28.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,846 UYU 355.1K

$15.6K ฿523.9K

-43.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 UYU 3,745

$57.6 ฿1,942

61.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 UYU 1,928

$34.66 ฿1,168

38.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,553

$115 ฿3,872

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 5,007

$84.9 ฿2,860

46.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $55.0 in San José vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $292, 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,489 in San José and $1,891 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 $490 in San José versus $687 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 $993 in San José versus $1,261 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 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.