Cost of Living Comparison Between Saue and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Saue and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,035 in Saue versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,635 in Saue versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,236 in Saue versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Saue costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Saue22% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.27€14.19
$4.48฿150
263.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.8€60.9
$45.59฿1,525
53.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.83€8.57
$8.76฿293
12.21%
Cappuccino
$3.62€3.15
$2.97฿99.3
21.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46€2.15
$0.69฿22.96
256.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49€2.17
$0.39฿13.07
538.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.33€4.65
$2.53฿84.7
110.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95€5.18
$3.75฿125
58.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.31€1.14
$2.15฿71.8
-39.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41€1.23
$1.82฿60.7
-22.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.39€2.09
$2.18฿73.1
9.63%
Eggs
$2.92€2.55
$2.25฿75.2
29.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.31€10.73
$20.00฿669
-38.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49€7.40
$3.63฿121
133.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.23€9.79
$13.56฿453
-17.18%
Apples(1kg)
$1.90€1.66
$3.24฿109
-41.36%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54€1.34
$1.64฿54.7
-6.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38€2.08
$2.33฿78.0
2.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41€2.10
$2.07฿69.3
16.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00€0.87
$1.55฿51.8
-35.48%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99€0.87
$1.46฿48.67
-32.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.96€1.71
$0.98฿32.94
100.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00€0.87
$0.48฿16.13
108.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.45€5.62
$4.35฿146
48.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39€9.05
$18.57฿621
-44.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93€1.68
$1.86฿62.1
3.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09€1.82
$2.65฿88.8
-21.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Saue
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿47.40
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.57฿387
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.43€2.99
$3.17฿106
8.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75€0.66
$1.03฿34.51
-27.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.38€15.15
$13.89฿465
25.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.86€1.62
$1.34฿44.96
38.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K€25.4K
$27.8K฿929.6K
5.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K€26.8K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-7.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$265€231
$123฿4,116
115.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.64€18.00
$13.77฿461
49.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.34€30.81
$18.33฿613
92.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.7฿2,030
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿574
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.61€10.12
$8.87฿297
30.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$118€103
$688฿23.0K
-82.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,885€6,874
$15.8K฿527.8K
-50.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113€98.6
$59.3฿1,984
90.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.22€35.06
$34.69฿1,160
15.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100€87.3
$115฿3,853
-13.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108€94.3
$83.8฿2,802
29.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saue
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$621฿20.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,034฿68.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,496฿50.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,455฿115.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,531฿84.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saue
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.3
5.33
-19.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saue: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $70.0 in Saue vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $291, with Saue 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
Saue vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saue?
Saue is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,552 in Saue and $1,896 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $118 in Saue versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Saue or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Saue – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Saue or in Phuket?
At $1,035 in Saue versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saue but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saue or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Saue 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.
Which city is safer, Saue or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saue 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Saue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.