Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Sao Tome versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,830 in Sao Tome versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,573 in Sao Tome versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 14% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Tome 19% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 STN 433

$4.70 ฿153

339.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.23 STN 971

$45.37 ฿1,482

1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 STN 208

$8.43 ฿275

17.56%

Cappuccino

$1.73 STN 36.29

$2.93 ฿95.6

-40.96%

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

$1.86 STN 39.04

$0.69 ฿22.40

169.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 STN 24.73

$0.37 ฿11.99

218.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 STN 33.98

$2.41 ฿78.6

-32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 STN 40.35

$3.72 ฿122

-48.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 STN 28.98

$2.23 ฿72.9

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 STN 20.97

$1.83 ฿59.8

-45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 STN 48.76

$2.17 ฿70.8

6.91%

Eggs

$4.96 STN 104

$2.21 ฿72.3

124.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.53 STN 431

$19.74 ฿645

4.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.97 STN 419

$3.63 ฿119

450.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.64 STN 517

$13.53 ฿442

82.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 STN 99.3

$3.28 ฿107

44.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 STN 23.63

$1.61 ฿52.6

-29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 STN 83.9

$2.41 ฿78.6

65.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 STN 75.0

$2.08 ฿68.1

71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 STN 55.5

$1.53 ฿49.93

72.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 STN 43.63

$1.48 ฿48.36

40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 STN 14.89

$0.99 ฿32.29

-28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 39.52

$0.51 ฿16.67

268.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 STN 48.83

$4.41 ฿144

-47.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.09 STN 170

$19.38 ฿633

-58.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.04

$1.78 ฿58.1

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.06

$2.71 ฿88.6

-50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 STN 25.60

$1.37 ฿44.79

-10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.88 STN 291

$14.10 ฿461

-1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 STN 34.32

$1.36 ฿44.51

19.85%

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)

$23.1K STN 484.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-29.83%

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$34.07 STN 716

$13.57 ฿443

151.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 STN 1,501

$18.31 ฿598

290.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.22 STN 782

$60.2 ฿1,967

-38.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.30 STN 615

$17.14 ฿560

70.95%

Cinema Ticket

$20.93 STN 440

$8.69 ฿284

140.85%

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)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.64 STN 392

$83.3 ฿2,720

-77.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 STN 7,191

$613 ฿20.0K

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 STN 4,796

$437 ฿14.3K

-47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 STN 14.0K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-68.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 STN 11.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-65.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,875 STN 39.4K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-49.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 STN 24.5K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-55.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$272 STN 5,709

$508 ฿16.6K

-46.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

5.33

38.46%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Sao Tome and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 87% 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: $46.00 in Sao Tome vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $293 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

Sao Tome vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 87% less. 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: $342 in Sao Tome versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Tome – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,087 in Sao Tome versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sao Tome 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, Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.