Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,361 per month in Ajijic vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,115 per month in Ajijic vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,869 per month in Ajijic vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 8% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ajijic and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 1% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.34 MX$175

$4.66 ฿154

121.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.48 MX$805

$32.22 ฿1,065

47.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 MX$128

$8.68 ฿287

-12.79%

Cappuccino

$3.85 MX$65.2

$2.90 ฿95.8

32.76%

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

$1.81 MX$30.71

$0.84 ฿27.89

115.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.43

$0.49 ฿16.16

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MX$39.52

$2.48 ฿82.0

-6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MX$61.8

$3.73 ฿123

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.10

$1.89 ฿62.3

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 MX$39.20

$1.41 ฿46.54

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 MX$20.20

$1.62 ฿53.6

-26.54%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.76

$2.24 ฿74.1

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 MX$149

$19.84 ฿656

-55.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 MX$149

$3.48 ฿115

152.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 MX$133

$11.37 ฿376

-30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 MX$40.52

$2.90 ฿95.8

-17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MX$23.10

$1.72 ฿57.0

-20.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.18

$2.27 ฿75.1

-26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.28

$2.13 ฿70.4

-10.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.34

$1.47 ฿48.72

17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.36

$1.42 ฿46.92

1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MX$18.73

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.44

$0.60 ฿19.76

61.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.70 MX$79.8

$4.31 ฿142

9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 MX$164

$18.60 ฿615

-47.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$27.91

$1.80 ฿59.5

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.31

$2.97 ฿98.0

-51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MX$11.83

$2.25 ฿74.2

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MX$22.15

$3.10 ฿102

-57.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.81 MX$81.6

$1.08 ฿35.56

345.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.02 MX$204

$3.87 ฿128

210.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$25.94

$1.43 ฿47.16

6.99%

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

$23.2K MX$393.5K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-16.51%

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

$26.2K MX$444.0K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-3.01%

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

$59.3 MX$1,005

$105 ฿3,462

-43.46%

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

$15.70 MX$266

$11.39 ฿376

37.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.17 MX$444

$17.54 ฿580

49.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.81 MX$455

$54.3 ฿1,795

-50.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.77 MX$97.9

$11.44 ฿378

-49.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$86.4

$7.78 ฿257

-34.58%

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

$228 MX$3,869

$576 ฿19.0K

-60.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,093 MX$52.5K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-73.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.14 MX$817

$63.6 ฿2,103

-24.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.70 MX$300

$29.10 ฿961

-39.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MX$1,250

$96.2 ฿3,179

-23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 MX$1,277

$90.0 ฿2,974

-16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 MX$15.6K

$733 ฿24.2K

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 MX$11.3K

$501 ฿16.5K

32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 MX$26.8K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-25.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 MX$22.2K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

4.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,186 MX$54.0K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-9.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,749 MX$29.7K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 MX$10.1K

$508 ฿16.8K

17.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.2

5.57

101.08%

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

Last update for Ajijic: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Ajijic versus $733 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 17% higher in Ajijic, 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 $47.00 in Ajijic versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Ajijic vs $275 in Phuket – so Ajijic wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ajijic vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,042 per month in Ajijic and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $1,361 in Ajijic and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $228 per month in Ajijic and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Ajijic at $1,361. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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