Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Albay versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,100 in Albay versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,470 in Albay versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Albay costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albay 47% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 ₱228

$4.66 ฿153

-21.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.73 ₱1,043

$32.22 ฿1,059

-48.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱172

$8.68 ฿285

-68.09%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$2.90 ฿95.3

-25.86%

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

$0.59 ₱36.49

$0.84 ฿27.75

-29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.77

$0.49 ฿16.08

-34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱67.9

$2.48 ฿81.6

-56.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱116

$3.73 ฿123

-49.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.89 ฿62.0

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.9

$1.41 ฿46.31

-20.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.9

$1.62 ฿53.3

-43.83%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.24 ฿73.7

-13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.31 ₱331

$19.84 ฿652

-73.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱259

$3.48 ฿114

19.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 ₱458

$11.37 ฿374

-35.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱143

$2.90 ฿95.3

-21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.7

$1.72 ฿56.7

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱147

$2.27 ฿74.7

3.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.7

$2.13 ฿70.1

-46.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 ₱132

$1.47 ฿48.49

44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₱126

$1.42 ฿46.69

42.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱48.91

$1.10 ฿36.08

-29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.69

$0.60 ฿19.66

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱180

$4.31 ฿142

-32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ₱510

$18.60 ฿612

-56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱60.9

$1.80 ฿59.2

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱125

$2.97 ฿97.5

-32.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.86

$2.25 ฿73.8

-88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 ₱695

$23.49 ฿772

-52.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.58

$3.10 ฿102

-74.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.67

$1.08 ฿35.39

-76.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$3.87 ฿127

-51.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.2

$1.43 ฿46.93

-20.98%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$27.8K ฿913.6K

-21.51%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ฿887.2K

-27.69%

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

$122 ₱7,636

$105 ฿3,446

16.84%

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

$15.25 ₱951

$11.39 ฿375

33.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,533

$17.54 ฿577

40.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.78 ₱1,982

$54.3 ฿1,787

-41.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 ₱297

$11.44 ฿376

-58.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 ₱329

$7.78 ฿256

-32.13%

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

$135 ₱8,447

$576 ฿19.0K

-76.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,000 ₱498.9K

$11.6K ฿380.8K

-30.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.79 ₱2,045

$63.6 ฿2,092

-48.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.93 ₱1,243

$29.10 ฿957

-31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ₱4,487

$96.2 ฿3,164

-25.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,532

$90.0 ฿2,960

-37.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$733 ฿24.1K

-63.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.8K

$501 ฿16.5K

-65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₱30.7K

$2,126 ฿69.9K

-76.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₱22.2K

$1,252 ฿41.2K

-71.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,618 ₱163.3K

$3,534 ฿116.2K

-25.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ₱63.9K

$2,622 ฿86.2K

-60.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 ₱10.3K

$508 ฿16.7K

-67.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Albay: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Albay and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 208% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Albay vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $275 per month, with Albay 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

Albay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albay and Phuket differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $1,265 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 208% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Albay versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Albay versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Albay 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.

Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.