ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,578 in Sesimbra versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Sesimbra versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,128 in Sesimbra versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Sesimbra is roughly 28% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Sesimbra is 18% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.85âŽ10.97
$4.63āļŋ151
177.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05âŽ40.18
$46.84āļŋ1,523
0.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.48âŽ8.09
$8.84āļŋ287
7.24%
Cappuccino
$2.58âŽ2.21
$3.00āļŋ97.4
-14.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72âŽ1.47
$0.74āļŋ24.11
132.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36âŽ1.16
$0.37āļŋ11.88
267.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.28âŽ1.95
$2.44āļŋ79.3
-6.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52âŽ3.01
$3.61āļŋ117
-2.49%
ð Groceries & Markets
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09âŽ0.93
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-51.77%
White Bread(500g)
$2.01âŽ1.72
$1.84āļŋ59.8
9.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.03âŽ1.73
$2.24āļŋ73.0
-9.38%
Eggs
$3.20âŽ2.73
$2.32āļŋ75.3
37.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.12âŽ9.50
$19.67āļŋ639
-43.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.93âŽ6.77
$3.65āļŋ119
117.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.31âŽ12.22
$13.10āļŋ426
9.24%
Apples(1kg)
$2.66âŽ2.27
$3.39āļŋ110
-21.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53âŽ1.30
$1.64āļŋ53.4
-6.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.78âŽ1.52
$2.41āļŋ78.5
-26.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.92âŽ2.49
$2.03āļŋ66.0
43.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52âŽ1.30
$1.56āļŋ50.6
-2.56%
Onion(1kg)
$2.28âŽ1.95
$1.50āļŋ48.66
52.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.92âŽ0.78
$1.02āļŋ33.30
-9.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89âŽ0.76
$0.49āļŋ15.91
81.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90âŽ5.04
$4.45āļŋ145
32.58%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.62âŽ3.95
$18.88āļŋ614
-75.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28âŽ1.09
$1.78āļŋ57.7
-28.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22âŽ2.75
$2.75āļŋ89.5
17.09%
ð Getting Around
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42âŽ1.22
$1.40āļŋ45.54
1.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.11âŽ39.37
$11.48āļŋ373
301.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.66âŽ3.13
$3.12āļŋ101
17.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.25âŽ1.06
$1.00āļŋ32.48
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.26âŽ14.74
$14.09āļŋ458
22.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.87âŽ1.60
$1.35āļŋ43.93
38.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1KâŽ30.0K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
29.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2KâŽ33.5K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
19.09%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104âŽ88.9
$125āļŋ4,063
-16.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.68âŽ18.51
$13.57āļŋ441
59.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.52âŽ37.16
$18.52āļŋ602
134.99%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.63âŽ38.97
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-25.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84āļŋ547
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89âŽ6.74
$9.19āļŋ299
-14.15%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$743âŽ634
$698āļŋ22.7K
6.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,246âŽ6,188
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-53.53%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7âŽ58.7
$57.8āļŋ1,878
18.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.59âŽ33.81
$35.24āļŋ1,146
12.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.8âŽ60.5
$113āļŋ3,677
-37.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.7âŽ78.3
$86.4āļŋ2,808
6.19%
ð Accommodation & Living
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$827âŽ706
$616āļŋ20.0K
34.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$702âŽ600
$446āļŋ14.5K
57.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,407âŽ1,202
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-31.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,135âŽ969
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-23.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,167âŽ2,705
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
-16.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,475âŽ2,113
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
-6.57%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Sesimbra
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,477âŽ1,261
$524āļŋ17.0K
181.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.01
5.33
-6.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sesimbra: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Sesimbra and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Sesimbra pays 182% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Sesimbra vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $292 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sesimbra or Phuket?
Sesimbra pays 182% 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: $827 in Sesimbra versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $743 in Sesimbra versus $698 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 13% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,578 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 â expenses run 28% less than in Sesimbra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.