Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,004 in Santa Ana versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,293 in Santa Ana versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Santa Ana versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Santa Ana is roughly 63% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Ana is 47% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 ₡5,539

$4.41 ฿147

182.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₡26.5K

$32.26 ฿1,077

84.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 ₡5,166

$8.93 ฿298

30.12%

Cappuccino

$4.29 ₡1,906

$2.90 ฿96.6

47.93%

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

$2.20 ₡980

$0.88 ฿29.38

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₡623

$0.48 ฿16.06

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 ₡1,452

$2.35 ฿78.5

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₡1,996

$3.72 ฿124

20.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₡994

$1.87 ฿62.3

19.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,413

$1.47 ฿48.94

116.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,124

$1.55 ฿51.8

63.23%

Eggs

$3.62 ₡1,608

$2.10 ฿70.1

72.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ₡4,732

$19.59 ฿654

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₡4,604

$3.42 ฿114

202.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 ₡6,348

$11.38 ฿380

25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,259

$2.98 ฿99.6

70.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡732

$1.68 ฿56.2

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 ₡2,168

$2.21 ฿73.7

120.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,717

$2.16 ฿72.1

78.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ₡1,771

$1.52 ฿50.9

162.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 ₡1,694

$1.34 ฿44.67

184.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡480

$1.13 ฿37.67

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡839

$0.55 ฿18.24

243.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 ₡2,607

$4.26 ฿142

37.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.03 ₡8,014

$19.09 ฿637

-5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,241

$1.78 ฿59.4

56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₡1,178

$2.78 ฿92.9

-4.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₡1,072

$3.03 ฿101

-20.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ₡722

$1.02 ฿34.15

58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₡3,946

$3.89 ฿130

128.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡690

$1.49 ฿49.77

4.03%

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

$21.6K ₡9.6M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-18.60%

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

$34.3K ₡15.2M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

26.94%

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

$96.2 ₡42.8K

$102 ฿3,420

-6.12%

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

$33.40 ₡14.8K

$11.33 ฿378

194.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 ₡22.1K

$17.40 ฿581

185.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$162 ₡72.1K

$52.1 ฿1,738

211.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.80 ₡9,690

$11.07 ฿370

96.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 ₡3,725

$7.69 ฿257

8.97%

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

$1,004 ₡446.3K

$561 ฿18.7K

79.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.5M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 ₡30.1K

$63.0 ฿2,104

7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 ₡25.5K

$29.52 ฿986

94.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.4K

$98.0 ฿3,272

34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₡59.7K

$88.5 ฿2,954

51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₡485.9K

$738 ฿24.6K

48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₡393.2K

$482 ฿16.1K

83.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,021 ₡1.3M

$2,107 ฿70.3K

43.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 ₡836.3K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

53.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ₡1.2M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-24.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 ₡745.6K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-35.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,416 ₡629.2K

$494 ฿16.5K

186.79%

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 Santa Ana: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,093 in Santa Ana and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Ana pays 187% 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: $60.0 in Santa Ana vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 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

Santa Ana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 187% higher in Santa Ana, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,093 in Santa Ana versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,004 in Santa Ana 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 $60.0 in Santa Ana. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,004 in Santa Ana, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Ana. 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 Santa Ana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Santa Ana 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 63% less than in Santa Ana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.