Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Arecibo versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,029 in Arecibo versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,765 in Arecibo versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Arecibo is roughly 3% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arecibo 6% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 $11.87

$4.43 ฿145

167.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$35.07 ฿1,151

129.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 $8.73

$8.96 ฿294

-2.57%

Cappuccino

$3.41 $3.41

$3.00 ฿98.4

13.67%

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

$1.69 $1.69

$0.77 ฿25.33

119.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.47 ฿15.44

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.40 ฿78.6

22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.75 ฿123

30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.82 ฿59.8

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.42 ฿46.65

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.55 ฿50.8

23.87%

Eggs

$4.41 $4.41

$2.13 ฿69.9

107.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$19.76 ฿648

-36.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$3.48 ฿114

179.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$11.09 ฿364

21.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.91 ฿95.5

76.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.66 ฿54.6

57.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.27 ฿74.5

108.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.10 ฿68.8

130.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.47 ฿48.24

159.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.41 ฿46.29

182.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.09 ฿35.78

213.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.54 ฿17.58

192.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.09 $12.09

$4.48 ฿147

169.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.89 $15.89

$18.72 ฿614

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.84 ฿60.4

63.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.95 ฿96.7

36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 $39.50

$23.07 ฿757

71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.04 ฿99.9

-19.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.09 ฿35.82

38.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$3.82 ฿125

1011.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.49 ฿48.79

-34.23%

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

$40.1K $40.1K

$27.4K ฿900.3K

45.99%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$27.5K ฿902.7K

3.09%

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

$322 $322

$102 ฿3,340

216.66%

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

$76.7 $76.7

$11.28 ฿370

579.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$17.75 ฿582

259.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 $10.37

$7.85 ฿258

32.10%

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

$883 $883

$577 ฿18.9K

52.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K $12.9K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

10.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$65.4 ฿2,144

-12.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 $60.7

$28.89 ฿948

109.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$99.1 ฿3,250

9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$90.3 ฿2,961

28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,208 $1,208

$502 ฿16.5K

140.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Arecibo: August 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Arecibo pays 141% 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: $80.0 in Arecibo vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $272 per month, with Phuket 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

Arecibo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 141% higher in Arecibo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Arecibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $80.0 in Arecibo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,293 in Arecibo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Arecibo. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Arecibo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Arecibo 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arecibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.