😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,571 in Sesimbra versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,317 in Sesimbra versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,063 in Sesimbra versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Sesimbra is roughly 25% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sesimbra is 17% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.86€11.08
$4.56฿149
182.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.63€39.31
$46.63฿1,519
-2.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.16€7.89
$8.47฿276
8.15%
Cappuccino
$2.64€2.27
$3.03฿98.6
-12.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73€1.49
$0.69฿22.45
150.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.21
$0.37฿11.92
278.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34€2.01
$2.49฿81.0
-6.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55€3.05
$3.66฿119
-3.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04€0.90
$2.18฿71.0
-52.29%
White Bread(500g)
$2.01€1.73
$1.90฿62.0
5.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.08€1.79
$2.20฿71.6
-5.45%
Eggs
$3.05€2.63
$2.22฿72.4
37.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.16€9.61
$19.99฿651
-44.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.64€6.58
$3.66฿119
108.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.99€12.06
$13.25฿432
5.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.56€2.21
$3.23฿105
-20.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45€1.25
$1.70฿55.3
-14.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.72€1.48
$2.39฿78.0
-28.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.95€2.54
$2.08฿67.7
41.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.50€1.29
$1.59฿51.8
-5.66%
Onion(1kg)
$2.24€1.93
$1.48฿48.31
51.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89€0.76
$1.03฿33.54
-13.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89€0.76
$0.52฿16.83
71.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.97€5.15
$4.25฿138
40.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.56€3.93
$18.79฿612
-75.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26€1.08
$1.76฿57.2
-28.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12€2.69
$2.76฿89.8
13.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.46€1.26
$1.36฿44.32
7.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.26€39.86
$11.36฿370
307.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.72€3.20
$3.14฿102
18.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20€1.03
$1.04฿33.74
15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.31€14.92
$13.77฿448
25.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.90€1.64
$1.34฿43.79
41.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K€30.1K
$27.7K฿901.4K
26.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K€33.7K
$33.9K฿1.1M
15.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103€88.3
$124฿4,025
-17.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.22€18.29
$13.52฿440
56.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.78€37.72
$18.69฿609
134.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.74€39.41
$61.8฿2,013
-26.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89€6.80
$9.14฿298
-13.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$752€648
$703฿22.9K
7.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,303€6,292
$15.9K฿517.0K
-53.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4€58.9
$59.5฿1,937
15.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.98€33.59
$35.07฿1,142
11.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.2€62.2
$115฿3,754
-37.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.4€79.6
$84.1฿2,737
9.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838€722
$619฿20.1K
35.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$688€593
$433฿14.1K
59.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,364€1,175
$2,062฿67.2K
-33.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,176€1,013
$1,511฿49.2K
-22.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,311€2,853
$3,646฿118.7K
-9.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,260€1,947
$2,626฿85.5K
-13.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,441€1,242
$507฿16.5K
184.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.01
5.33
-6.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sesimbra: June 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $838 in Sesimbra and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sesimbra pays 184% 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 Sesimbra vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $293 per month, with Sesimbra 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
Sesimbra vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Sesimbra?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sesimbra or Phuket?
Sesimbra pays 184% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Sesimbra and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $838 in Sesimbra versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $752 in Sesimbra versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Sesimbra and Phuket?
Shoppers in Sesimbra pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sesimbra or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,571 in Sesimbra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sesimbra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sesimbra or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sesimbra, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sesimbra or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Sesimbra 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sesimbra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.