Cost of Living Comparison Between Sรจte and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Sรจte and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,933 in Sรจte versus $1,261 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,958 in Sรจte versus $2,286 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,982 in Sรจte versus $3,310 in Phuket.
๐Living in Sรจte is roughly 53% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Sรจte is 44% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.27โฌ14.88
$4.56เธฟ149
278.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.1โฌ49.15
$46.63เธฟ1,519
22.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.20โฌ11.37
$8.47เธฟ276
55.84%
Cappuccino
$3.46โฌ2.98
$3.03เธฟ98.6
14.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77โฌ2.39
$0.69เธฟ22.45
301.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86โฌ1.60
$0.37เธฟ11.92
402.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.13โฌ6.14
$2.49เธฟ81.0
186.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.06โฌ6.09
$3.66เธฟ119
92.90%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42โฌ1.22
$2.18เธฟ71.0
-34.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63โฌ1.40
$1.90เธฟ62.0
-14.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.87โฌ2.47
$2.20เธฟ71.6
30.45%
Eggs
$4.03โฌ3.48
$2.22เธฟ72.4
81.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$24.20โฌ20.85
$19.99เธฟ651
21.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.18โฌ10.50
$3.66เธฟ119
232.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.84โฌ22.27
$13.25เธฟ432
95.02%
Apples(1kg)
$3.20โฌ2.75
$3.23เธฟ105
-0.93%
Banana(1kg)
$2.17โฌ1.87
$1.70เธฟ55.3
27.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.45โฌ2.97
$2.39เธฟ78.0
44.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.54โฌ3.05
$2.08เธฟ67.7
70.19%
Potato(1kg)
$2.33โฌ2.01
$1.59เธฟ51.8
46.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.24โฌ1.93
$1.48เธฟ48.31
51.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.65โฌ1.42
$1.03เธฟ33.54
60.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82โฌ0.71
$0.52เธฟ16.83
57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.01โฌ12.07
$4.25เธฟ138
229.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.94โฌ8.56
$18.79เธฟ612
-47.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.50โฌ3.01
$1.76เธฟ57.2
98.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52โฌ3.03
$2.76เธฟ89.8
27.54%
๐ Getting Around
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.87โฌ1.61
$1.36เธฟ44.32
37.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.19โฌ42.38
$11.36เธฟ370
333.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.27โฌ4.54
$3.14เธฟ102
67.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96โฌ1.69
$1.04เธฟ33.74
88.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.95โฌ29.25
$13.77เธฟ448
146.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11โฌ1.82
$1.34เธฟ43.79
57.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.9Kโฌ32.7K
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
36.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4Kโฌ33.1K
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
13.28%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$282โฌ243
$124เธฟ4,025
128.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.07โฌ23.32
$13.52เธฟ440
100.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.95โฌ30.11
$18.69เธฟ609
87.00%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.01โฌ31.89
$61.8เธฟ2,013
-40.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.24โฌ15.71
$17.25เธฟ562
5.74%
Cinema Ticket
$13.66โฌ11.77
$9.14เธฟ298
49.45%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$405โฌ349
$703เธฟ22.9K
-42.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,199โฌ7,064
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
-48.34%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.1โฌ74.2
$59.5เธฟ1,937
44.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.30โฌ39.03
$35.07เธฟ1,142
29.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.4โฌ76.1
$115เธฟ3,754
-23.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159โฌ137
$84.1เธฟ2,737
89.21%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$773โฌ666
$619เธฟ20.1K
24.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$606โฌ522
$433เธฟ14.1K
40.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,377โฌ1,186
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
-33.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,070โฌ922
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
-29.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,084โฌ3,519
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
12.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,124โฌ2,691
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
18.97%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Sรจte
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,311โฌ1,991
$507เธฟ16.5K
355.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.64
5.33
-31.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sรจte: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $773 in Sรจte and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐSรจte pays 356% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $57.0 in Sรจte vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 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
Sรจte vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Sรจte?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sรจte or Phuket?
Sรจte pays 356% 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 Sรจte and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $773 in Sรจte 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 $405 in Sรจte 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 Sรจte and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Sรจte. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sรจte or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,933 in Sรจte, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sรจte. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sรจte or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sรจte, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sรจte or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Sรจte 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 โ expenses run 53% less than in Sรจte. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.