Cost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $920 per month in Acuna vs $1,223 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,585 per month in Acuna vs $2,237 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,249 per month in Acuna vs $3,251 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Acuna is about 25% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Acuna and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Acuna31% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.10MX$243
$4.51฿147
212.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.74MX$391
$46.62฿1,515
-51.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.15MX$140
$8.49฿276
-4.00%
Cappuccino
$2.72MX$46.74
$3.08฿100
-11.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02MX$17.62
$0.68฿22.07
50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03MX$17.66
$0.36฿11.75
186.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42MX$41.67
$2.43฿78.8
-0.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02MX$69.1
$3.63฿118
10.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.60MX$27.45
$2.19฿71.1
-26.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.93MX$33.17
$1.81฿59.0
6.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.69MX$29.10
$2.23฿72.5
-24.22%
Eggs
$2.88MX$49.50
$2.24฿72.7
28.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.96MX$120
$19.60฿637
-64.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.80MX$82.6
$3.72฿121
29.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.74MX$150
$13.47฿438
-35.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.63
$3.36฿109
-29.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42MX$24.41
$1.62฿52.5
-12.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.50
$2.41฿78.3
-29.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.91MX$32.89
$1.99฿64.6
-4.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.82MX$31.31
$1.53฿49.76
18.95%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42MX$24.42
$1.45฿47.19
-2.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03MX$17.68
$1.01฿32.96
1.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31MX$22.58
$0.48฿15.73
172.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10MX$70.5
$4.27฿139
-3.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.26MX$194
$19.12฿621
-41.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59MX$27.41
$1.84฿59.7
-13.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.61
$2.74฿89.1
1.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.65MX$11.27
$1.42฿46.06
-54.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.48MX$404
$11.72฿381
100.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.62MX$45.04
$3.00฿97.6
-12.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59MX$27.43
$1.05฿34.00
51.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.38MX$144
$13.90฿452
-39.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19MX$20.52
$1.29฿41.94
-7.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5KMX$301.5K
$28.0K฿911.1K
-37.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0KMX$310.0K
$33.5K฿1.1M
-46.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$55.9MX$961
$122฿3,964
-54.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.09MX$380
$13.93฿453
58.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.46MX$627
$18.87฿613
93.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.19MX$485
$61.3฿1,992
-54.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.33MX$247
$16.84฿547
-14.90%
Cinema Ticket
$4.20MX$72.3
$8.89฿289
-52.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$161MX$2,764
$691฿22.5K
-76.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,591MX$61.8K
$16.2K฿525.2K
-77.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.49MX$800
$57.8฿1,878
-19.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.22MX$675
$35.39฿1,150
10.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.0MX$1,514
$113฿3,685
-22.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.8MX$1,408
$83.0฿2,698
-1.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$287MX$4,941
$607฿19.7K
-52.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$195MX$3,350
$448฿14.6K
-56.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$844MX$14.5K
$2,029฿66.0K
-58.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$638MX$11.0K
$1,493฿48.5K
-57.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,254MX$38.8K
$3,585฿116.5K
-37.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,108MX$19.1K
$2,585฿84.0K
-57.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Acuna
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$505฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.48
5.33
115.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Acuna: June 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Acuna versus $607 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Acuna versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $292 – making Acuna 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
Acuna vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Acuna?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Acuna and $1,835 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Acuna vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $920 in Acuna and $1,223 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 100% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Acuna or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Acuna or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Acuna or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Acuna. 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.