Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Acapulco vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Acapulco vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,142 per month in Acapulco vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Acapulco is about 26% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Acapulco and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 33% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 MX$173

$4.56 ฿151

123.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 MX$709

$32.62 ฿1,082

28.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 MX$218

$8.90 ฿295

43.93%

Cappuccino

$4.14 MX$70.3

$2.80 ฿93.0

47.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MX$28.82

$0.88 ฿29.19

93.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$29.51

$0.49 ฿16.23

255.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 MX$54.4

$2.39 ฿79.2

33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MX$91.5

$3.71 ฿123

45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.86

$1.79 ฿59.3

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$54.2

$1.44 ฿47.81

121.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.12

$1.58 ฿52.6

12.03%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$33.31

$2.13 ฿70.5

-7.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$121

$19.92 ฿661

-64.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 MX$149

$3.43 ฿114

155.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 MX$201

$11.33 ฿376

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 MX$83.1

$2.95 ฿97.8

66.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.23

$1.72 ฿57.1

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 MX$61.6

$2.32 ฿77.1

56.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 MX$59.3

$2.08 ฿69.0

67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 MX$62.1

$1.47 ฿48.77

148.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.2

$1.36 ฿45.05

130.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$23.51

$1.10 ฿36.45

25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.34

$0.57 ฿19.06

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.67 MX$147

$4.27 ฿142

103.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MX$123

$18.42 ฿611

-60.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.62

$1.87 ฿62.1

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MX$50.4

$2.92 ฿96.9

1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.83

$2.22 ฿73.6

-55.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$90.1

$3.03 ฿101

74.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.49 ฿49.49

5.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.1K MX$392.3K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-14.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K MX$449.0K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-3.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$42.55 MX$723

$103 ฿3,410

-58.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.05 MX$273

$10.99 ฿365

46.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 MX$393

$17.51 ฿581

32.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.29 MX$345

$53.5 ฿1,776

-62.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 MX$254

$11.20 ฿371

33.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MX$69.0

$7.48 ฿248

-45.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$180 MX$3,051

$557 ฿18.5K

-67.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 MX$1,193

$64.1 ฿2,125

9.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.62 MX$792

$29.07 ฿964

60.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MX$2,020

$96.0 ฿3,183

23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,487

$90.3 ฿2,997

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MX$9,439

$730 ฿24.2K

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 MX$2,736

$500 ฿16.6K

-67.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 MX$17.8K

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-49.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$5,904

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-71.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 MX$8,267

$503 ฿16.7K

-3.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.57

108.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Acapulco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Acapulco versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Acapulco versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $273 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Acapulco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 36% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Acapulco and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $924 in Acapulco and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Acapulco and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $924 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.