Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $958 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,590 in San Martin de los Andes versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,222 in San Martin de los Andes versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in San Martin de los Andes costs roughly 24% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Martin de los Andes 29% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.34 ARS 14.8K
$4.56 ฿149
126.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.99 ARS 48.6K
$46.63 ฿1,519
-27.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.15 ARS 13.1K
$8.47 ฿276
8.03%
Cappuccino
$2.79 ARS 3,992
$3.03 ฿98.6
-7.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ARS 2,374
$0.69 ฿22.45
140.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ARS 2,214
$0.37 ฿11.92
318.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 ARS 3,065
$2.49 ฿81.0
-13.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 ARS 4,193
$3.66 ฿119
-19.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ARS 1,778
$2.18 ฿71.0
-43.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ARS 2,318
$1.90 ฿62.0
-14.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 ARS 2,879
$2.20 ฿71.6
-8.18%
Eggs
$2.28 ARS 3,264
$2.22 ฿72.4
2.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.91 ARS 14.2K
$19.99 ฿651
-50.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.10 ARS 8,717
$3.66 ฿119
66.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.43 ARS 13.5K
$13.25 ฿432
-28.83%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 2,825
$3.23 ฿105
-38.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 ARS 2,983
$1.70 ฿55.3
22.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.32 ARS 1,882
$2.39 ฿78.0
-44.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 ARS 3,706
$2.08 ฿67.7
24.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.14 ARS 1,630
$1.59 ฿51.8
-28.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 ARS 1,774
$1.48 ฿48.31
-16.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ARS 1,825
$1.03 ฿33.54
24.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 ARS 2,105
$0.52 ฿16.83
182.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.21 ARS 4,592
$4.25 ฿138
-24.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.26 ARS 7,509
$18.79 ฿612
-72.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 ARS 2,986
$1.76 ฿57.2
18.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 ARS 4,416
$2.76 ฿89.8
11.96%
🚌 Getting Around
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 ARS 1,092
$1.36 ฿44.32
-44.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.36 ฿370
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 ARS 2,097
$3.14 ฿102
-53.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 ARS 1,243
$1.04 ฿33.74
-16.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.93 ARS 8,467
$13.77 ฿448
-56.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ARS 1,519
$1.34 ฿43.79
-20.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K ARS 39.4M
$27.7K ฿901.4K
-0.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K ARS 43.7M
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-9.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.3 ARS 96.2K
$124 ฿4,025
-45.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.88 ARS 24.1K
$13.52 ฿440
24.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.86 ARS 32.6K
$18.69 ฿609
22.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.05 ARS 37.2K
$61.8 ฿2,013
-57.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.73 ARS 19.6K
$17.25 ฿562
-20.41%
Cinema Ticket
$6.16 ARS 8,801
$9.14 ฿298
-32.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$216 ARS 308.5K
$703 ฿22.9K
-69.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,653 ARS 3.8M
$15.9K ฿517.0K
-83.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.0 ARS 104.3K
$59.5 ฿1,937
22.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.1 ARS 98.7K
$35.07 ฿1,142
97.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ARS 165.8K
$115 ฿3,754
0.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ARS 158.0K
$84.1 ฿2,737
31.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$338 ARS 483.4K
$619 ฿20.1K
-45.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$239 ARS 341.7K
$433 ฿14.1K
-44.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$679 ARS 969.8K
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-67.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$536 ARS 765.2K
$1,511 ฿49.2K
-64.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,104 ARS 3.0M
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-42.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Martin de los Andes
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
58.5
5.33
997.56%

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

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in San Martin de los Andes and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in San Martin de los Andes vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $293 per month, with San Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Martin de los Andes?
San Martin de los Andes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,437 in San Martin de los Andes and $1,892 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.
What is the rent difference between San Martin de los Andes and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $338 in San Martin de los Andes 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 $216 in San Martin de los Andes versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in San Martin de los Andes or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in San Martin de los Andes – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for San Martin de los Andes or Phuket?
At $958 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Martin de los Andes but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Martin de los Andes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Martin de los Andes or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, San Martin de los Andes 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.
Which city is safer, San Martin de los Andes or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Martin de los Andes 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 San Martin de los Andes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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