Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $669 per month in Ambato vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,002 per month in Ambato vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,334 per month in Ambato vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Ambato is about 47% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ambato and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 50% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 $3.03

$4.70 ฿153

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.06 $25.06

$45.37 ฿1,482

-44.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 $5.12

$8.43 ฿275

-39.26%

Cappuccino

$2.49 $2.49

$2.93 ฿95.6

-15.02%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.69 ฿22.40

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.37 ฿11.99

72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.41 ฿78.6

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.72 ฿122

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.23 ฿72.9

-56.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.83 ฿59.8

-44.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$2.17 ฿70.8

-30.88%

Eggs

$1.98 $1.98

$2.21 ฿72.3

-10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$19.74 ฿645

-84.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.63 ฿119

-19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$13.53 ฿442

-69.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$3.28 ฿107

-70.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.61 ฿52.6

-36.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.41 ฿78.6

-57.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.08 ฿68.1

-51.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.53 ฿49.93

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.48 ฿48.36

-33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.99 ฿32.29

-49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.51 ฿16.67

101.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.41 ฿144

33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$19.38 ฿633

-53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.78 ฿58.1

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.71 ฿88.6

12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.37 ฿44.79

-77.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 $24.02

$11.39 ฿372

110.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 $0.67

$3.02 ฿98.6

-77.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.62 $9.62

$14.10 ฿461

-31.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.36 ฿44.51

-51.47%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

7.91%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-13.63%

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

$39.33 $39.33

$122 ฿3,975

-67.68%

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

$13.79 $13.79

$13.57 ฿443

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 $30.26

$18.31 ฿598

65.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.61 $29.61

$60.2 ฿1,967

-50.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$17.14 ฿560

-13.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 $6.07

$8.69 ฿284

-30.15%

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

$255 $255

$693 ฿22.6K

-63.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,356 $2,356

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-84.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 $49.59

$59.5 ฿1,944

-16.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 $37.10

$34.77 ฿1,136

6.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$115 ฿3,743

-22.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 $58.9

$83.3 ฿2,720

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$613 ฿20.0K

-45.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 $187

$437 ฿14.3K

-57.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 $616

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-70.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 $251

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-83.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 $1,133

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-69.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 $883

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$668 $668

$508 ฿16.6K

31.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Ambato: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Ambato versus $613 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 32% higher in Ambato, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ambato versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $293 – making Ambato 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

Ambato vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 89% more than Ambato, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,004 per month in Ambato 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 Ambato, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ambato and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $669 in Ambato and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $669, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $669 versus $1,265 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 Ambato. 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.