Cost of Living Comparison Between Bataan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bataan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $472 in Bataan versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $800 in Bataan versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,128 in Bataan versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Bataan costs roughly 62% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bataan 66% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.33 ₱83.4

$4.41 ฿147

-69.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.52 ₱1,036

$32.26 ฿1,077

-48.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.66 ₱167

$8.93 ฿298

-70.21%

Cappuccino

$1.38 ₱86.6

$2.90 ฿96.6

-52.41%

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

$0.60 ₱37.92

$0.88 ฿29.38

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.71

$0.48 ฿16.06

-47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱64.2

$2.35 ฿78.5

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₱101

$3.72 ฿124

-56.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.87 ฿62.3

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱69.1

$1.47 ฿48.94

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.0

$1.55 ฿51.8

-34.84%

Eggs

$1.79 ₱112

$2.10 ฿70.1

-14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 ₱317

$19.59 ฿654

-74.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ₱183

$3.42 ฿114

-14.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱481

$11.38 ฿380

-32.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$2.98 ฿99.6

-23.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.68 ฿56.2

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$2.21 ฿73.7

8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.5

$2.16 ฿72.1

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.52 ฿50.9

15.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$1.34 ฿44.67

29.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.95

$1.13 ฿37.67

-40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.79

$0.55 ฿18.24

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₱137

$4.26 ฿142

-48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 ₱551

$19.09 ฿637

-54.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱59.6

$1.78 ฿59.4

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$2.78 ฿92.9

-25.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.35

$2.23 ฿74.4

-78.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.2

$3.03 ฿101

-72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.40

$1.02 ฿34.15

-77.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$3.89 ฿130

-49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$1.49 ฿49.77

-29.53%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-18.82%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-27.55%

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

$46.78 ₱2,934

$102 ฿3,420

-54.35%

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

$17.15 ₱1,075

$11.33 ฿378

51.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 ₱1,452

$17.40 ฿581

32.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.78 ₱1,680

$52.1 ฿1,738

-48.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₱319

$7.69 ฿257

-33.94%

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

$65.8 ₱4,128

$561 ฿18.7K

-88.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱664.9K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-7.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.34 ₱1,840

$63.0 ฿2,104

-53.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 ₱1,212

$29.52 ฿986

-34.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 ₱4,549

$98.0 ฿3,272

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,472

$88.5 ฿2,954

-37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 ₱10.1K

$738 ฿24.6K

-78.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.1 ₱3,207

$482 ฿16.1K

-89.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₱17.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-86.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.2K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-85.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 ₱24.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

-19.71%

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 Bataan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $161 in Bataan and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 25% 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 Bataan vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $274 per month, with Bataan 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

Bataan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $161 in Bataan versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $65.8 in Bataan versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – 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 $472 in Bataan versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Bataan 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 Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.