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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in San Lorenzo versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,118 in San Lorenzo versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,827 in San Lorenzo versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in San Lorenzo is roughly 12% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Lorenzo is 6% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 $12.23

$4.48 ฿150

172.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$45.59 ฿1,521

76.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 $9.70

$8.76 ฿292

10.73%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$2.97 ฿99.0

19.87%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$0.69 ฿22.90

156.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.39 ฿13.04

271.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.53 ฿84.4

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.75 ฿125

22.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.15 ฿71.6

13.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.82 ฿60.6

96.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.18 ฿72.9

0.92%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.25 ฿75.0

164.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$20.00 ฿667

-54.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$3.63 ฿121

132.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$13.56 ฿452

-5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$3.24 ฿108

76.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.64 ฿54.6

66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.33 ฿77.8

64.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.07 ฿69.1

93.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.55 ฿51.6

154.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.46 ฿48.54

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.98 ฿32.86

209.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.48 ฿16.09

314.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$4.35 ฿145

178.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 $15.72

$18.57 ฿620

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.86 ฿61.9

31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.65 ฿88.6

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.03 ฿34.41

42.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 $15.04

$13.89 ฿463

8.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.34 ฿44.84

-28.36%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

27.10%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-20.46%

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

$493 $493

$123 ฿4,105

300.84%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$13.77 ฿459

465.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$18.33 ฿611

307.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$8.87 ฿296

35.74%

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

$473 $473

$688 ฿22.9K

-31.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 $45.69

$59.3 ฿1,978

-22.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$34.69 ฿1,157

63.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$115 ฿3,843

-20.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$83.8 ฿2,794

26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-10.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for San Lorenzo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $80.0 in San Lorenzo vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $291 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 Lorenzo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,114 in San Lorenzo and $1,896 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 $473 in San Lorenzo versus $688 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 $46.00 versus $80.0 in San Lorenzo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,410 in San Lorenzo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Lorenzo. 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 Lorenzo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Lorenzo 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 12% less than in San Lorenzo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.