🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Sin el Fil versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Sin el Fil versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Sin el Fil versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Sin el Fil costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Sin el Fil26% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.12LBP 1.1M
$4.41฿147
174.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.0LBP 5.7M
$32.26฿1,073
98.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.97LBP 892.7K
$8.93฿297
11.65%
Cappuccino
$4.57LBP 408.6K
$2.90฿96.3
57.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40LBP 214.7K
$0.88฿29.29
172.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81LBP 72.7K
$0.48฿16.01
68.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.14LBP 460.3K
$2.35฿78.2
118.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06LBP 452.7K
$3.72฿124
36.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96LBP 175.4K
$1.87฿62.1
4.81%
White Bread(500g)
$0.88LBP 79.1K
$1.47฿48.78
-40.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24LBP 200.8K
$1.55฿51.6
44.52%
Eggs
$3.67LBP 328.2K
$2.10฿69.9
74.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.53LBP 1.2M
$19.59฿652
-30.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.76LBP 963.1K
$3.42฿114
214.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.22LBP 1.3M
$11.38฿379
24.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.15LBP 282.1K
$2.98฿99.3
5.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63LBP 146.0K
$1.68฿56.1
-2.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63LBP 146.1K
$2.21฿73.5
-26.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48LBP 132.5K
$2.16฿71.9
-31.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.35LBP 121.1K
$1.52฿50.7
-11.18%
Onion(1kg)
$1.68LBP 150.4K
$1.34฿44.52
25.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18LBP 105.2K
$1.13฿37.55
4.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74LBP 66.2K
$0.55฿18.18
34.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96LBP 265.0K
$4.26฿142
-30.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.98LBP 893.0K
$19.09฿635
-47.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32LBP 118.5K
$1.78฿59.2
-25.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55LBP 228.2K
$2.78฿92.6
-8.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.2
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿756
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.08LBP 454.6K
$3.03฿101
67.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.26LBP 202.6K
$1.02฿34.04
121.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.38LBP 2.0M
$3.89฿129
475.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.04LBP 92.9K
$1.49฿49.60
-30.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.3KLBP 4.9B
$26.6K฿884.4K
104.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7KLBP 2.9B
$27.0K฿899.3K
21.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$232LBP 20.8M
$102฿3,409
126.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.10LBP 2.1M
$11.33฿377
103.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.31LBP 3.4M
$17.40฿579
120.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,733
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.86LBP 882.9K
$7.69฿256
28.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687LBP 61.5M
$561฿18.7K
22.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KLBP 967.6M
$11.5K฿382.8K
-6.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.8LBP 6.2M
$63.0฿2,097
9.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.68LBP 4.4M
$29.52฿982
64.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$137LBP 12.2M
$98.0฿3,261
39.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121LBP 10.8M
$88.5฿2,944
36.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$738฿24.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$482฿16.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,107฿70.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,226฿40.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sin el Fil
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11
5.57
97.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sin el Fil: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $64.0 in Sin el Fil vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $274 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
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 Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,525 in Sin el Fil and $1,847 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $687 in Sin el Fil versus $561 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 in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Sin el Fil – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Sin el Fil or in Phuket?
At $1,017 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 21% 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