🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,154 in Sin el Fil versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,766 in Sin el Fil versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,379 in Sin el Fil versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Sin el Fil costs roughly 6% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Sin el Fil14% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76LBP 962.7K
$4.63฿151
132.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2LBP 4.5M
$46.84฿1,523
7.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.86LBP 703.6K
$8.84฿287
-11.09%
Cappuccino
$3.02LBP 270.4K
$3.00฿97.4
0.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58LBP 141.6K
$0.74฿24.11
113.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88LBP 78.8K
$0.37฿11.88
137.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.56LBP 318.5K
$2.44฿79.3
45.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91LBP 439.8K
$3.61฿117
36.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74LBP 155.7K
$2.26฿73.5
-23.01%
White Bread(500g)
$0.80LBP 71.8K
$1.84฿59.8
-56.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.82LBP 162.5K
$2.24฿73.0
-18.75%
Eggs
$3.22LBP 287.9K
$2.32฿75.3
38.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.24LBP 737.2K
$19.67฿639
-58.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.77LBP 874.3K
$3.65฿119
167.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.34LBP 1.0M
$13.10฿426
-13.44%
Apples(1kg)
$1.73LBP 155.1K
$3.39฿110
-48.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.48LBP 132.0K
$1.64฿53.4
-9.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.09LBP 97.9K
$2.41฿78.5
-54.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.09LBP 97.3K
$2.03฿66.0
-46.31%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95LBP 85.4K
$1.56฿50.6
-39.10%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99LBP 89.0K
$1.50฿48.66
-34.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.81LBP 72.7K
$1.02฿33.30
-20.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56LBP 50.0K
$0.49฿15.91
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.55LBP 228.5K
$4.45฿145
-42.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.90LBP 886.5K
$18.88฿614
-47.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23LBP 109.9K
$1.78฿57.7
-30.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24LBP 200.3K
$2.75฿89.5
-18.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.54
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿373
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.90LBP 438.6K
$3.12฿101
57.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22LBP 109.1K
$1.00฿32.48
22.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.86LBP 1.8M
$14.09฿458
40.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89LBP 79.7K
$1.35฿43.93
-34.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9KLBP 3.1B
$27.2K฿883.7K
28.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9KLBP 2.5B
$32.9K฿1.1M
-15.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$218LBP 19.5M
$125฿4,063
74.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.32LBP 3.4M
$13.57฿441
182.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.54LBP 3.3M
$18.52฿602
97.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.79LBP 2.7M
$61.5฿1,999
-51.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.16LBP 909.1K
$16.84฿547
-39.67%
Cinema Ticket
$7.77LBP 695.2K
$9.19฿299
-15.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$298LBP 26.7M
$698฿22.7K
-57.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,358LBP 390.0M
$15.6K฿506.9K
-72.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0LBP 6.3M
$57.8฿1,878
21.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.40LBP 4.1M
$35.24฿1,146
28.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.5LBP 8.9M
$113฿3,677
-12.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.8LBP 6.2M
$86.4฿2,808
-20.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$302LBP 27.0M
$616฿20.0K
-50.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$253LBP 22.6M
$446฿14.5K
-43.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,019LBP 91.2M
$2,048฿66.6K
-50.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$509LBP 45.5M
$1,492฿48.5K
-65.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿122.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$246LBP 22.0M
$524฿17.0K
-53.11%
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: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Sin el Fil and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 113% 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: $50.0 in Sin el Fil vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $292, 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sin el Fil or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 113% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Sin el Fil and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $302 in Sin el Fil 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 $298 in Sin el Fil versus $698 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 $50.0 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 $1,154 in Sin el Fil versus $1,232 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 7% 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