😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,657 in San Martino in Rio versus $1,243 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,603 in San Martino in Rio versus $2,023 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,548 in San Martino in Rio versus $2,803 in Phuket.
🌍Living in San Martino in Rio is roughly 33% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: San Martino in Rio is 23% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.32€17.22
$4.37฿147
342.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.9€72.1
$32.87฿1,107
146.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.15€9.94
$8.39฿283
32.90%
Cappuccino
$2.33€2.08
$2.73฿92.1
-14.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73€3.32
$0.88฿29.70
323.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65€1.47
$0.47฿15.97
251.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.77€5.15
$2.36฿79.3
144.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67€4.16
$3.71฿125
25.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40€1.25
$1.83฿61.7
-23.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.00€1.78
$1.45฿48.75
37.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.00€1.79
$1.58฿53.1
26.58%
Eggs
$3.89€3.47
$2.10฿70.7
85.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.03€18.74
$19.37฿652
8.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.08€10.77
$3.42฿115
253.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.65€16.63
$10.96฿369
70.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.51€2.24
$3.00฿101
-16.33%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01€1.79
$1.64฿55.1
22.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.63€2.35
$2.21฿74.3
19.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.39€3.02
$2.12฿71.5
59.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.69
$1.47฿49.52
29.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81€1.62
$1.32฿44.53
37.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17€1.04
$1.07฿36.06
9.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.51
$0.52฿17.68
9.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75€6.01
$4.38฿148
54.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.98€6.22
$18.59฿626
-62.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47€1.31
$1.75฿58.8
-16.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33€2.08
$2.86฿96.2
-18.53%
🚌 Getting Around
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.56€1.39
$2.26฿76.3
-30.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.93€37.38
$22.98฿774
82.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.60€4.10
$2.94฿99.1
56.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.75€1.56
$1.07฿35.96
63.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.29€19.87
$3.84฿129
480.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.10€1.87
$1.46฿49.14
43.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K€32.4K
$27.2K฿915.5K
33.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K€32.5K
$26.6K฿896.7K
37.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166€148
$102฿3,433
63.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.18€7.29
$10.96฿369
-25.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.76€24.74
$16.89฿569
64.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.9€56.1
$52.4฿1,765
20.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.90€23.09
$10.93฿368
136.96%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16€9.06
$7.52฿253
35.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$513€457
$547฿18.4K
-6.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,868€6,121
$11.3K฿380.9K
-39.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.2€78.6
$63.2฿2,129
39.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.62€33.53
$29.23฿984
28.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106€94.5
$97.8฿3,294
8.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114€102
$86.7฿2,919
31.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$720€641
$721฿24.3K
-0.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511€455
$476฿16.0K
7.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,238€1,104
$2,081฿70.1K
-40.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$963€858
$1,194฿40.2K
-19.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,871€2,559
$3,577฿120.4K
-19.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,833€1,634
$2,541฿85.6K
-27.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Martino in Rio
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$489฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.22
5.57
-42.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Martino in Rio: September 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in San Martino in Rio and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $81.0 in San Martino in Rio vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $269 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 Martino in Rio vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Martino in Rio?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,486 in San Martino in Rio and $1,865 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 Martino in Rio and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $720 in San Martino in Rio versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $513 in San Martino in Rio versus $547 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 Martino in Rio and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in San Martino in Rio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in San Martino in Rio or in Phuket?
At $1,243 in Phuket versus $1,657 in San Martino in Rio, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Martino in Rio. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Martino in Rio or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Martino in Rio, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, San Martino in Rio or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Martino in Rio 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 – expenses run 33% less than in San Martino in Rio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
San Martino in Rio vs other spots: cost of living compared