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: $1,061 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,434 in San Juan del Sur versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in San Juan del Sur costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan del Sur 21% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$4.55 ฿153

-6.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.73 NIO 1,235

$46.18 ฿1,550

-26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$8.84 ฿297

-37.33%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

$3.06 ฿103

-20.59%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

$0.73 ฿24.36

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$0.40 ฿13.37

67.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

$2.43 ฿81.6

-45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$3.78 ฿127

-46.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

$2.26 ฿75.8

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

$1.81 ฿60.8

-15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

$2.25 ฿75.7

-48.00%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

$2.25 ฿75.4

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

$19.51 ฿655

-60.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

$3.65 ฿122

77.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

$13.05 ฿438

-37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$3.23 ฿109

23.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

$1.62 ฿54.3

-48.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

$2.38 ฿80.0

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$2.03 ฿68.0

6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

$1.53 ฿51.5

110.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$1.50 ฿50.4

44.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$0.98 ฿32.85

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$0.52 ฿17.36

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

$4.44 ฿149

-38.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

$18.32 ฿615

-45.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

$1.86 ฿62.6

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$2.68 ฿90.0

-17.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$3.11 ฿104

-52.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$14.11 ฿474

-51.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

$1.31 ฿44.02

-5.34%

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-19.02%

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.22%

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

$122 ฿4,110

-65.05%

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

$10.45 NIO 383

$13.59 ฿456

-23.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

$18.70 ฿628

93.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

$60.5 ฿2,031

-49.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$9.07 ฿305

-10.69%

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

$123 NIO 4,499

$706 ฿23.7K

-82.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-61.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$58.6 ฿1,965

29.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

$35.36 ฿1,187

106.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

$115 ฿3,876

16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$83.7 ฿2,811

28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

$626 ฿21.0K

-25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

$445 ฿14.9K

-9.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-35.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

$500 ฿16.8K

-29.25%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in San Juan del Sur and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 41% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $289 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $464 in San Juan del Sur versus $626 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 $706 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,061 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,250 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.