Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pablo and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in San Pablo: $634 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in San Pablo
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San Pablo Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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San Pablo

🇵🇭 Philippines

$634

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Pablo and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Pablo and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in San Pablo versus $1,207 in Phuket.

San Pablo $634
Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $917 in San Pablo versus $2,037 in Phuket.

San Pablo $917
Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,200 in San Pablo versus $2,867 in Phuket.

San Pablo $1,200
Phuket $2,867

Living in San Pablo costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pablo 53% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 ₱245

$4.58 ฿153

-14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.47 ₱1,037

$32.48 ฿1,086

-49.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.81 ₱177

$8.55 ฿286

-67.13%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₱115

$2.72 ฿91.0

-32.72%

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

$0.38 ₱24.14

$0.94 ฿31.25

-59.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₱11.26

$0.49 ฿16.39

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱64.7

$2.59 ฿86.6

-60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₱103

$3.83 ฿128

-57.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$1.74 ฿58.1

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱69.2

$1.43 ฿47.82

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.1

$1.53 ฿51.0

-38.56%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱131

$2.17 ฿72.7

-4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 ₱324

$19.15 ฿640

-73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ₱215

$3.30 ฿110

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 ₱487

$11.14 ฿372

-30.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.95 ฿98.5

-21.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ₱88.8

$1.68 ฿56.1

-16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$2.30 ฿76.8

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.3

$2.13 ฿71.3

-51.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$1.53 ฿51.1

5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.36 ฿45.55

30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.28

$1.12 ฿37.44

-45.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.95

$0.55 ฿18.24

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱179

$4.26 ฿142

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ₱409

$18.19 ฿608

-64.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.0

$1.74 ฿58.2

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.79 ฿93.3

-27.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.37

$2.22 ฿74.1

-89.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$2.91 ฿97.3

-72.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.79

$1.01 ฿33.79

-75.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$3.83 ฿128

-51.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱72.5

$1.49 ฿49.85

-22.82%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-18.96%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-27.80%

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

$143 ₱9,016

$99.4 ฿3,321

44.11%

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

$11.84 ₱746

$11.28 ฿377

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.37 ₱1,471

$17.36 ฿580

34.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₱323

$7.57 ฿253

-32.23%

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

$132 ₱8,290

$558 ฿18.7K

-76.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ₱683.6K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-5.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 ₱1,852

$62.9 ฿2,102

-53.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.58 ₱1,232

$28.58 ฿955

-31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,502

$96.1 ฿3,213

-25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ₱3,500

$88.1 ฿2,943

-36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,963

$729 ฿24.4K

-80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ₱7,875

$460 ฿15.4K

-72.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 ₱13.0K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-90.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 ₱11.8K

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-84.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$956 ₱60.2K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-72.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 ₱51.1K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-67.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$292 ₱18.4K

$493 ฿16.5K

-40.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for San Pablo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Pablo

$178 28.1%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 28.2% $50

Groceries & Markets

San Pablo

$166 26.2%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 61.2% $102

Accommodation & Living

San Pablo

$125 19.7%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 268% $335

Clothing & Footwear

San Pablo

$79 12.5%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 56.5% $45

Eating Out

San Pablo

$72 11.4%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 68% $49

Sport & Entertainment

San Pablo

$10 * 1.6%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 557% $57

Getting Around

San Pablo

$3 * 0.5%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 1205% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in San Pablo and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 69% 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: $16.00 in San Pablo vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $268 per month, with San Pablo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 San Pablo

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

22:47 10:47 PM

21:47 9:47 PM

1 h behind San Pablo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

266,068

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Pablo Phuket 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Pablo
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pablo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pablo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 69% 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: $142 in San Pablo versus $729 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $132 in San Pablo versus $558 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 Pablo – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $634 in San Pablo versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pablo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Pablo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Pablo 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 Pablo 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 Pablo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.