😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,838 in Soustons versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,865 in Soustons versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,892 in Soustons versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Soustons is roughly 46% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Soustons is 37% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.09€14.81
$4.56฿150
274.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.5€61.1
$46.63฿1,535
51.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.67€10.98
$8.47฿279
49.59%
Cappuccino
$3.45€2.99
$3.03฿99.7
13.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.27
$0.69฿22.69
279.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75€1.52
$0.37฿12.04
372.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.13€7.05
$2.49฿81.9
226.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.77€5.00
$3.66฿120
57.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29€1.12
$2.18฿71.8
-40.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.60€0.52
$1.90฿62.6
-68.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.59€2.25
$2.20฿72.4
17.73%
Eggs
$3.13€2.72
$2.22฿73.2
40.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$25.36€21.98
$19.99฿658
26.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.55€12.61
$3.66฿121
297.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.28€15.85
$13.25฿436
37.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.19€2.76
$3.23฿106
-1.24%
Banana(1kg)
$2.95€2.56
$1.70฿55.9
73.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.22€2.79
$2.39฿78.8
34.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.52€3.05
$2.08฿68.4
69.23%
Potato(1kg)
$2.33€2.02
$1.59฿52.4
46.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.96€2.56
$1.48฿48.83
100.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.41€1.22
$1.03฿33.90
36.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91€0.79
$0.52฿17.01
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.70€12.74
$4.25฿140
245.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.78€5.87
$18.79฿618
-63.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.04€3.50
$1.76฿57.8
129.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17€2.74
$2.76฿90.8
14.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.00€1.73
$1.36฿44.79
47.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$48.01€41.61
$11.36฿374
322.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10€2.68
$3.14฿103
-1.27%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.31€1.14
$1.04฿34.10
25.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$41.00€35.54
$13.77฿453
197.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.99€1.73
$1.34฿44.26
48.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K€32.7K
$27.7K฿911.1K
36.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K€34.7K
$33.9K฿1.1M
18.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188€163
$124฿4,069
51.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.79€19.75
$13.52฿445
68.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.83€31.92
$18.69฿615
97.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.74€32.71
$61.8฿2,035
-38.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.42€15.96
$17.25฿568
6.78%
Cinema Ticket
$13.63€11.81
$9.14฿301
49.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$846€733
$703฿23.1K
20.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.6K€16.2K
$15.9K฿522.5K
17.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$122€105
$59.5฿1,958
104.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.54€42.94
$35.07฿1,154
41.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$129€112
$115฿3,795
12.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163€141
$84.1฿2,767
93.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$774€671
$619฿20.4K
25.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$611€529
$433฿14.2K
41.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,398€1,212
$2,062฿67.9K
-32.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,073€930
$1,511฿49.7K
-29.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,212€3,651
$3,646฿120.0K
15.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,108€2,694
$2,626฿86.4K
18.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Soustons
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.71
5.33
-30.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Soustons: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $774 in Soustons and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $71.0 in Soustons vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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
Soustons vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Soustons?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,757 in Soustons 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 Soustons and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $774 in Soustons 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 $846 in Soustons 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 Soustons and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Soustons. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Soustons or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,838 in Soustons, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Soustons. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Soustons or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Soustons, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Soustons or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Soustons 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 – expenses run 46% less than in Soustons. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.