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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in San Pablo versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $936 in San Pablo versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,221 in San Pablo versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in San Pablo costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pablo 53% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱256

$4.56 ฿150

-10.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.91 ₱1,058

$32.62 ฿1,073

-48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱177

$8.90 ฿293

-68.20%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₱116

$2.80 ฿92.2

-33.93%

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

$0.38 ₱24.03

$0.88 ฿28.94

-56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₱11.63

$0.49 ฿16.08

-61.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$2.39 ฿78.5

-57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.3

$3.71 ฿122

-57.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.79 ฿58.8

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.1

$1.44 ฿47.40

-20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱62.5

$1.58 ฿52.1

-36.71%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$2.13 ฿69.9

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₱328

$19.92 ฿655

-73.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$3.43 ฿113

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱477

$11.33 ฿372

-32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$2.95 ฿97.0

-22.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$1.72 ฿56.6

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$2.32 ฿76.5

-30.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₱68.1

$2.08 ฿68.4

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.47 ฿48.34

10.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$1.36 ฿44.65

26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.25

$1.10 ฿36.13

-42.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.62

$0.57 ฿18.89

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱177

$4.27 ฿140

-33.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ₱390

$18.42 ฿606

-66.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱60.9

$1.87 ฿61.5

-48.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.92 ฿96.1

-30.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.32

$2.22 ฿73.0

-89.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.7

$3.03 ฿99.6

-73.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.64

$1.07 ฿35.32

-76.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$3.93 ฿129

-51.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₱58.6

$1.49 ฿49.06

-36.91%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-21.64%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-29.26%

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

$140 ₱8,765

$103 ฿3,380

36.34%

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

$17.92 ₱1,121

$10.99 ฿361

63.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 ₱1,473

$17.51 ฿576

34.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ₱320

$7.48 ฿246

-31.68%

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

$136 ₱8,492

$557 ฿18.3K

-75.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱667.3K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-9.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 ₱1,810

$64.1 ฿2,107

-54.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.99 ₱1,250

$29.07 ฿956

-31.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ₱4,543

$96.0 ฿3,155

-24.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 ₱3,556

$90.3 ฿2,970

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₱8,930

$730 ฿24.0K

-80.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,908

$500 ฿16.4K

-74.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 ₱13.2K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-89.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.2K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-83.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$292 ₱18.3K

$503 ฿16.6K

-41.91%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in San Pablo and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 72% 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: $17.00 in San Pablo vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $273 per month, with San Pablo 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 Pablo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pablo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $143 in San Pablo versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $136 in San Pablo versus $557 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 $17.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $650 in San Pablo versus $1,253 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 93% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.