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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,751 in San Juan versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,750 in San Juan versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,749 in San Juan versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in San Juan is roughly 42% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 28% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,502

$4.41 ฿147

180.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡26.6K

$32.26 ฿1,077

85.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,069

$8.93 ฿298

27.77%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,990

$2.90 ฿96.6

54.48%

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

$2.60 ₡1,157

$0.88 ฿29.38

195.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡833

$0.48 ฿16.06

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,470

$2.35 ฿78.5

40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,022

$3.72 ฿124

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₡1,038

$1.87 ฿62.3

25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,385

$1.47 ฿48.94

112.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,078

$1.55 ฿51.8

56.77%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,601

$2.10 ฿70.1

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 ₡4,738

$19.59 ฿654

-45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 ₡4,702

$3.42 ฿114

209.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 ₡6,407

$11.38 ฿380

26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 ₡2,340

$2.98 ฿99.6

76.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡705

$1.68 ฿56.2

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ₡2,100

$2.21 ฿73.7

113.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ₡1,762

$2.16 ฿72.1

83.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,755

$1.52 ฿50.9

159.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,689

$1.34 ฿44.67

183.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡486

$1.13 ฿37.67

-3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₡1,447

$0.55 ฿18.24

492.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 ₡2,731

$4.26 ฿142

44.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.64 ₡9,174

$19.09 ฿637

8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,245

$1.78 ฿59.4

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ₡1,672

$2.78 ฿92.9

35.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ₡570

$2.23 ฿74.4

-42.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₡1,130

$3.03 ฿101

-16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡708

$1.02 ฿34.15

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₡3,893

$3.89 ฿130

125.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡665

$1.49 ฿49.77

0.67%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-16.72%

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

$34.4K ₡15.3M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

27.33%

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

$97.5 ₡43.3K

$102 ฿3,420

-4.84%

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

$36.69 ₡16.3K

$11.33 ฿378

223.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 ₡28.1K

$17.40 ฿581

263.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 ₡30.0K

$52.1 ฿1,738

29.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 ₡3,655

$7.69 ฿257

6.89%

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

$1,003 ₡445.6K

$561 ฿18.7K

78.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

52.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ₡32.6K

$63.0 ฿2,104

16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 ₡25.2K

$29.52 ฿986

91.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₡58.6K

$98.0 ฿3,272

34.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡58.8K

$88.5 ฿2,954

49.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₡384.6K

$738 ฿24.6K

17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₡272.8K

$482 ฿16.1K

27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 ₡840.1K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 ₡552.1K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

1.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $865 in San Juan and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in San Juan vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 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 Juan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,626 in San Juan and $1,847 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $865 in San Juan versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in San Juan versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $60.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,751 in San Juan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Juan 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.