🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Sin el Fil versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Sin el Fil versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,348 in Sin el Fil versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Sin el Fil costs roughly 12% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Sin el Fil17% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.65LBP 953.5K
$4.56฿149
133.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.34LBP 4.4M
$46.63฿1,519
5.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.91LBP 707.5K
$8.47฿276
-6.61%
Cappuccino
$2.96LBP 265.1K
$3.03฿98.6
-2.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63LBP 145.8K
$0.69฿22.45
136.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93LBP 83.4K
$0.37฿11.92
151.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.51LBP 314.5K
$2.49฿81.0
40.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10LBP 456.5K
$3.66฿119
39.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73LBP 155.1K
$2.18฿71.0
-20.64%
White Bread(500g)
$0.85LBP 75.8K
$1.90฿62.0
-55.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.81LBP 162.4K
$2.20฿71.6
-17.73%
Eggs
$3.11LBP 278.5K
$2.22฿72.4
40.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.18LBP 732.0K
$19.99฿651
-59.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.61LBP 859.9K
$3.66฿119
162.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.64LBP 1.0M
$13.25฿432
-12.15%
Apples(1kg)
$1.75LBP 157.1K
$3.23฿105
-45.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45LBP 130.0K
$1.70฿55.3
-14.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.13LBP 101.2K
$2.39฿78.0
-52.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.09LBP 97.6K
$2.08฿67.7
-47.60%
Potato(1kg)
$1.01LBP 90.8K
$1.59฿51.8
-36.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03LBP 92.6K
$1.48฿48.31
-30.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89LBP 79.3K
$1.03฿33.54
-13.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51LBP 46.0K
$0.52฿16.83
-1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53LBP 226.7K
$4.25฿138
-40.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.09LBP 902.9K
$18.79฿612
-46.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23LBP 109.8K
$1.76฿57.2
-30.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20LBP 196.5K
$2.76฿89.8
-20.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.36฿44.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.95LBP 443.0K
$3.14฿102
57.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.23LBP 109.8K
$1.04฿33.74
18.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.16LBP 1.8M
$13.77฿448
46.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91LBP 81.1K
$1.34฿43.79
-32.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6KLBP 3.2B
$27.7K฿901.4K
28.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0KLBP 2.5B
$33.9K฿1.1M
-17.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$211LBP 18.9M
$124฿4,025
70.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.87LBP 3.4M
$13.52฿440
180.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.48LBP 3.3M
$18.69฿609
95.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.84LBP 2.7M
$61.8฿2,013
-51.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.86LBP 882.9K
$17.25฿562
-42.84%
Cinema Ticket
$8.09LBP 724.0K
$9.14฿298
-11.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299LBP 26.8M
$703฿22.9K
-57.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,428LBP 396.3M
$15.9K฿517.0K
-72.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2LBP 6.4M
$59.5฿1,937
19.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.15LBP 4.0M
$35.07฿1,142
28.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.1LBP 8.8M
$115฿3,754
-14.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3LBP 6.4M
$84.1฿2,737
-15.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$300LBP 26.9M
$619฿20.1K
-51.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$247LBP 22.1M
$433฿14.1K
-42.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$986LBP 88.3M
$2,062฿67.2K
-52.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$499LBP 44.7M
$1,511฿49.2K
-66.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.16
5.33
109.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sin el Fil: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Sin el Fil and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $49.00 in Sin el Fil vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $293, with Sin el Fil 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
Sin el Fil vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Sin el Fil?
Sin el Fil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,668 in Sin el Fil and $1,892 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.
What is the rent difference between Sin el Fil and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $300 in Sin el Fil 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 $299 in Sin el Fil versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Sin el Fil or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Sin el Fil – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Sin el Fil or Phuket?
At $1,112 in Sin el Fil versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sin el Fil but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sin el Fil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sin el Fil or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Sin el Fil 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, Sin el Fil or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Sin el Fil 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 Sin el Fil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Sin el Fil vs other spots: cost of living compared