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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,022 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,719 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,417 in San Juan del Sur versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in San Juan del Sur costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan del Sur 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$4.70 ฿153

-9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NIO 1,238

$45.37 ฿1,482

-25.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 NIO 202

$8.43 ฿275

-34.52%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

$2.93 ฿95.6

-19.80%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.14

$0.69 ฿22.40

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 25.06

$0.37 ฿11.99

83.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.48

$2.41 ฿78.6

-46.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$3.72 ฿122

-45.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.20

$2.23 ฿72.9

-43.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.83 ฿59.8

-19.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.88

$2.17 ฿70.8

-46.08%

Eggs

$1.96 NIO 71.7

$2.21 ฿72.3

-11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NIO 285

$19.74 ฿645

-60.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 NIO 234

$3.63 ฿119

76.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 NIO 292

$13.53 ฿442

-41.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$3.28 ฿107

17.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.90

$1.61 ฿52.6

-47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

$2.41 ฿78.6

-26.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$2.08 ฿68.1

8.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 NIO 115

$1.53 ฿49.93

105.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$1.48 ฿48.36

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.99

$0.99 ฿32.29

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.93

$0.51 ฿16.67

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$4.41 ฿144

-40.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 NIO 354

$19.38 ฿633

-50.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.78 ฿58.1

-17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.9

$2.71 ฿88.6

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.9

$3.02 ฿98.6

-51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

$14.10 ฿461

-51.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.66

$1.36 ฿44.51

-8.09%

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

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-18.87%

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

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.28%

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

$41.71 NIO 1,528

$122 ฿3,975

-65.73%

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

$10.58 NIO 388

$13.57 ฿443

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 NIO 1,339

$18.31 ฿598

99.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NIO 1,087

$60.2 ฿1,967

-50.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 NIO 286

$8.69 ฿284

-10.24%

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

$123 NIO 4,505

$693 ฿22.6K

-82.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-61.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 NIO 2,884

$59.5 ฿1,944

32.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 NIO 2,702

$34.77 ฿1,136

112.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,761

$115 ฿3,743

13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,025

$83.3 ฿2,720

31.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 NIO 16.9K

$613 ฿20.0K

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 NIO 15.0K

$437 ฿14.3K

-6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NIO 35.0K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-54.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 NIO 35.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-36.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 NIO 10.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

-44.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in San Juan del Sur and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 82% 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: $34.00 in San Juan del Sur vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $293 per month, with San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 82% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $461 in San Juan del Sur versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $123 in San Juan del Sur versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan del Sur – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,022 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan del Sur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan del Sur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.