Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marco Argentano and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marco Argentano and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in San Marco Argentano versus $1,247 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,164 in San Marco Argentano versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,921 in San Marco Argentano versus $3,306 in Phuket.

Living in San Marco Argentano is roughly 13% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Marco Argentano is 5% above, Phuket is 7% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.51 โ‚ฌ14.90
$4.59 เธฟ147
281.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0 โ‚ฌ48.53
$46.83 เธฟ1,501
21.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 โ‚ฌ10.01
$8.70 เธฟ279
35.17%
Cappuccino
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.17
$2.92 เธฟ93.7
-53.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 โ‚ฌ1.00
$0.68 เธฟ21.92
73.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 โ‚ฌ0.48
$0.40 เธฟ12.70
40.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 โ‚ฌ1.93
$2.51 เธฟ80.4
-9.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 โ‚ฌ3.02
$3.80 เธฟ122
-6.84%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 โ‚ฌ1.27
$2.16 เธฟ69.3
-31.02%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 โ‚ฌ1.00
$1.88 เธฟ60.3
-37.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 โ‚ฌ1.91
$2.16 เธฟ69.2
3.70%
Eggs
$3.22 โ‚ฌ2.74
$2.22 เธฟ71.2
45.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.65 โ‚ฌ4.81
$19.57 เธฟ627
-71.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.92 โ‚ฌ5.03
$3.80 เธฟ122
55.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.45 โ‚ฌ9.74
$13.41 เธฟ430
-14.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.45
$3.26 เธฟ104
-47.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 โ‚ฌ1.33
$1.61 เธฟ51.7
-3.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.43 โ‚ฌ1.22
$2.31 เธฟ74.0
-38.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.49
$2.06 เธฟ66.0
-15.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 โ‚ฌ0.98
$1.61 เธฟ51.5
-28.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 โ‚ฌ1.00
$1.44 เธฟ46.26
-18.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 โ‚ฌ0.78
$1.03 เธฟ33.01
-10.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 โ‚ฌ0.40
$0.48 เธฟ15.39
-2.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.72 โ‚ฌ4.87
$4.50 เธฟ144
27.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.67 โ‚ฌ3.97
$19.18 เธฟ615
-75.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 โ‚ฌ0.98
$1.82 เธฟ58.4
-36.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.94
$2.69 เธฟ86.2
-15.24%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.44
$1.38 เธฟ44.16
23.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.62 โ‚ฌ36.27
$11.76 เธฟ377
262.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.88 โ‚ฌ5.85
$3.11 เธฟ99.6
121.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 โ‚ฌ1.29
$1.00 เธฟ32.18
52.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.6 โ‚ฌ49.83
$13.74 เธฟ441
326.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.67
$1.30 เธฟ41.61
50.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K โ‚ฌ18.6K
$27.4K เธฟ877.0K
-20.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K โ‚ฌ21.3K
$33.0K เธฟ1.1M
-24.30%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 โ‚ฌ97.4
$125 เธฟ4,004
-8.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.32 โ‚ฌ12.18
$13.74 เธฟ440
4.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.50 โ‚ฌ25.10
$18.61 เธฟ597
58.52%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 โ‚ฌ47.51
$60.6 เธฟ1,941
-7.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.99 โ‚ฌ19.57
$17.15 เธฟ550
34.05%
Cinema Ticket
$9.02 โ‚ฌ7.67
$9.01 เธฟ289
0.11%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$173 โ‚ฌ147
$698 เธฟ22.4K
-75.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K โ‚ฌ9,889
$16.1K เธฟ516.5K
-27.88%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 โ‚ฌ67.4
$59.2 เธฟ1,898
33.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.45 โ‚ฌ25.06
$34.86 เธฟ1,118
-15.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.2 โ‚ฌ75.1
$114 เธฟ3,662
-22.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 โ‚ฌ90.1
$85.8 เธฟ2,751
23.37%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$744 โ‚ฌ633
$619 เธฟ19.8K
20.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$576 โ‚ฌ490
$437 เธฟ14.0K
31.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 โ‚ฌ1,027
$2,075 เธฟ66.5K
-41.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$937 โ‚ฌ797
$1,509 เธฟ48.4K
-37.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,959 โ‚ฌ2,518
$3,764 เธฟ120.7K
-21.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,121 โ‚ฌ1,805
$2,694 เธฟ86.4K
-21.27%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
San Marco Argentano
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,731 โ‚ฌ1,473
$528 เธฟ16.9K
227.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
5.33
-62.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Marco Argentano: April 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $744 in San Marco Argentano and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Marco Argentano pays 228% 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: $57 in San Marco Argentano vs $47 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $292, with San Marco Argentano cheaper for home cooking.

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 Marco Argentano vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Marco Argentano?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Marco Argentano or Phuket?
San Marco Argentano pays 228% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between San Marco Argentano and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $744 in San Marco Argentano versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $173 in San Marco Argentano versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in San Marco Argentano and Phuket?
Shoppers in San Marco Argentano pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for San Marco Argentano or Phuket?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,408 in San Marco Argentano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Marco Argentano. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Marco Argentano or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Marco Argentano, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, San Marco Argentano or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Marco Argentano 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 13% less than in San Marco Argentano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

San Marco Argentano vs other spots: cost of living compared

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