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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,622 in San Pedro versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in San Pedro versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,610 in San Pedro versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in San Pedro is roughly 28% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Pedro is 21% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 BZD 18.51

$4.70 ฿153

96.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.39 BZD 58.8

$45.37 ฿1,482

-35.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.92 BZD 5.83

$2.93 ฿95.6

-0.34%

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

$1.34 BZD 2.68

$0.69 ฿22.40

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BZD 3.03

$0.37 ฿11.99

310.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 BZD 6.10

$2.41 ฿78.6

26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 BZD 7.94

$3.72 ฿122

6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 BZD 8.25

$2.23 ฿72.9

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BZD 2.64

$1.83 ฿59.8

-27.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 BZD 8.44

$2.17 ฿70.8

94.47%

Eggs

$2.18 BZD 4.36

$2.21 ฿72.3

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 BZD 19.96

$19.74 ฿645

-49.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 BZD 12.64

$3.63 ฿119

74.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 BZD 16.57

$13.53 ฿442

-38.80%

Apples (1kg)

$8.40 BZD 16.81

$3.28 ฿107

156.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 BZD 2.15

$1.61 ฿52.6

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 BZD 2.24

$2.41 ฿78.6

-53.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.59 BZD 11.18

$2.08 ฿68.1

168.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 BZD 5.53

$1.53 ฿49.93

80.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 BZD 6.08

$1.48 ฿48.36

105.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 BZD 7.06

$0.99 ฿32.29

256.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BZD 2.46

$0.51 ฿16.67

141.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$24.01 BZD 48.02

$19.38 ฿633

23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 BZD 4.96

$1.78 ฿58.1

39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BZD 6.59

$2.71 ฿88.6

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.95 BZD 9.90

$0.99 ฿32.48

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BZD 3.30

$1.36 ฿44.51

21.32%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$174 BZD 347

$122 ฿3,975

42.71%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 BZD 204

$18.31 ฿598

455.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.41 BZD 58.8

$60.2 ฿1,967

-51.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BZD 196

$115 ฿3,743

-14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 BZD 2,017

$613 ฿20.0K

64.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 BZD 1,492

$437 ฿14.3K

70.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 BZD 2,112

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-49.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 BZD 1,795

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 BZD 5,296

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 BZD 3,244

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-38.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for San Pedro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in San Pedro and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in San Pedro vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $293, with Phuket 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 Pedro vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,432 in San Pedro and $1,898 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,008 in San Pedro versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in San Pedro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $29.00 in San Pedro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,622 in San Pedro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Pedro. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Pedro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Pedro 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in San Pedro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.