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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,764 in San Rafael versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,770 in San Rafael versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,777 in San Rafael versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in San Rafael is roughly 43% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Rafael is 29% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 ₡5,399

$4.41 ฿147

175.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 ₡26.2K

$32.26 ฿1,077

82.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 ₡5,246

$8.93 ฿298

32.14%

Cappuccino

$4.47 ₡1,985

$2.90 ฿96.6

54.14%

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

$2.71 ₡1,202

$0.88 ฿29.38

207.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡844

$0.48 ฿16.06

295.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 ₡1,468

$2.35 ฿78.5

40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₡2,005

$3.72 ฿124

21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,074

$1.87 ฿62.3

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,403

$1.47 ฿48.94

114.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,091

$1.55 ฿51.8

58.06%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,601

$2.10 ฿70.1

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 ₡4,765

$19.59 ฿654

-45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,771

$3.42 ฿114

214.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 ₡6,330

$11.38 ฿380

25.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 ₡2,285

$2.98 ฿99.6

72.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡709

$1.68 ฿56.2

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 ₡2,093

$2.21 ฿73.7

113.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 ₡1,721

$2.16 ฿72.1

79.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,677

$1.52 ฿50.9

148.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,670

$1.34 ฿44.67

180.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡481

$1.13 ฿37.67

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₡1,442

$0.55 ฿18.24

489.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 ₡2,641

$4.26 ฿142

39.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.32 ₡9,031

$19.09 ฿637

6.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,271

$1.78 ฿59.4

60.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₡1,598

$2.78 ฿92.9

29.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₡514

$2.23 ฿74.4

-47.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₡1,130

$3.03 ฿101

-16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡732

$1.02 ฿34.15

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 ₡3,943

$3.89 ฿130

128.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡662

$1.49 ฿49.77

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

$21.7K ₡9.6M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-18.41%

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

$35.3K ₡15.7M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

30.45%

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

$96.2 ₡42.8K

$102 ฿3,420

-6.13%

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

$36.89 ₡16.4K

$11.33 ฿378

225.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 ₡27.5K

$17.40 ฿581

255.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₡29.2K

$52.1 ฿1,738

26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 ₡3,743

$7.69 ฿257

9.49%

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

$983 ₡437.0K

$561 ฿18.7K

75.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.6M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

47.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 ₡32.8K

$63.0 ฿2,104

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 ₡24.9K

$29.52 ฿986

90.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.3K

$98.0 ฿3,272

31.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₡59.8K

$88.5 ฿2,954

52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ₡365.3K

$738 ฿24.6K

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₡292.1K

$482 ฿16.1K

36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 ₡934.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-0.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 ₡633.0K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

16.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for San Rafael: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $822 in San Rafael and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Rafael vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $274 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 Rafael vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,646 in San Rafael and $1,847 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: $822 in San Rafael versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $983 in San Rafael versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $59.0 in San Rafael. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,764 in San Rafael, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Rafael. 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 Rafael, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Rafael 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 43% less than in San Rafael. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.