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: $1,040 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in San Juan del Sur costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan del Sur 24% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$4.56 ฿152

-5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$32.62 ฿1,086

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$8.90 ฿296

-36.52%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$2.80 ฿93.4

-10.36%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$0.88 ฿29.31

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$0.49 ฿16.29

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$2.39 ฿79.5

-39.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$3.71 ฿124

-45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.79 ฿59.5

-34.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$1.44 ฿48.00

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$1.58 ฿52.8

-26.58%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$2.13 ฿70.8

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$19.92 ฿663

-60.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$3.43 ฿114

81.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$11.33 ฿377

-36.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$2.95 ฿98.2

24.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$1.72 ฿57.3

-66.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$2.32 ฿77.4

-23.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$2.08 ฿69.3

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$1.47 ฿48.96

117.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$1.36 ฿45.22

58.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$1.10 ฿36.59

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$0.57 ฿19.13

87.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$4.27 ฿142

-36.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$18.42 ฿613

-46.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.87 ฿62.3

-21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.92 ฿97.3

-20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$3.03 ฿101

-45.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$1.07 ฿35.77

54.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$3.93 ฿131

76.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.49 ฿49.68

-10.07%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

-15.75%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-4.43%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$103 ฿3,423

-41.26%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$10.99 ฿366

-3.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$17.51 ฿583

103.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$53.5 ฿1,783

-42.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$7.48 ฿249

14.97%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$557 ฿18.5K

-58.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

-47.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$64.1 ฿2,134

11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$29.07 ฿968

148.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$96.0 ฿3,195

35.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$90.3 ฿3,008

18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$730 ฿24.3K

-42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$500 ฿16.6K

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$1,209 ฿40.3K

-36.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

$503 ฿16.8K

-30.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in San Juan del Sur and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 45% 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: $33.00 in San Juan del Sur vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $273 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Phuket. 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: $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $232 in San Juan del Sur versus $557 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 $33.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,040 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,253 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.