Cost of Living Comparison Between Batangas and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Batangas and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Batangas versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in Batangas versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,274 in Batangas versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Batangas costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batangas 50% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 ₱142

$4.56 ฿149

-48.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.41 ₱1,300

$46.63 ฿1,519

-54.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.68 ₱163

$8.47 ฿276

-68.36%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₱105

$3.03 ฿98.6

-43.23%

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

$0.81 ₱49.39

$0.69 ฿22.45

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱22.93

$0.37 ฿11.92

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱62.0

$2.49 ฿81.0

-59.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱81.9

$3.66 ฿119

-63.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₱131

$2.18 ฿71.0

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱72.8

$1.90 ฿62.0

-36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₱49.94

$2.20 ฿71.6

-62.73%

Eggs

$1.89 ₱115

$2.22 ฿72.4

-14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 ₱287

$19.99 ฿651

-76.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱261

$3.66 ฿119

17.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 ₱446

$13.25 ฿432

-44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱165

$3.23 ฿105

-15.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱96.4

$1.70 ฿55.3

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ₱163

$2.39 ฿78.0

12.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₱99.9

$2.08 ฿67.7

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₱155

$1.59 ฿51.8

61.01%

Onion (1kg)

$4.12 ₱250

$1.48 ฿48.31

178.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₱85.2

$1.03 ฿33.54

35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱63.2

$0.52 ฿16.83

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ₱169

$4.25 ฿138

-34.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 ₱448

$18.79 ฿612

-60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱56.3

$1.76 ฿57.2

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱119

$2.76 ฿89.8

-28.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.05

$1.36 ฿44.32

-79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱47.90

$3.14 ฿102

-74.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.46

$1.04 ฿33.74

-74.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱132

$13.77 ฿448

-84.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.3

$1.34 ฿43.79

-17.16%

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

$25.2K ₱1.5M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-8.97%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-39.91%

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

$161 ₱9,803

$124 ฿4,025

30.63%

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

$19.08 ₱1,159

$13.52 ฿440

41.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.35 ₱1,782

$18.69 ฿609

57.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.72 ₱1,683

$61.8 ฿2,013

-55.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱270

$17.25 ฿562

-74.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱328

$9.14 ฿298

-40.92%

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

$81.4 ₱4,943

$703 ฿22.9K

-88.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,405 ₱85.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-91.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.83 ₱1,082

$59.5 ฿1,937

-70.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.73 ₱1,623

$35.07 ฿1,142

-23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 ₱3,711

$115 ฿3,754

-46.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.47 ₱2,700

$84.1 ฿2,737

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱15.8K

$619 ฿20.1K

-57.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.9 ₱4,912

$433 ฿14.1K

-81.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.8K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-91.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 ₱6,349

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-93.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,634 ₱159.9K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-27.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,652 ₱100.3K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-37.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 ₱10.2K

$507 ฿16.5K

-66.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

5.33

52.53%

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

Last update for Batangas: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Batangas and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 201% 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: $21.00 in Batangas vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $293 per month, with Batangas 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

Batangas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batangas and Phuket differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($671 vs $1,261 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 201% less. 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: $261 in Batangas versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $671 per month in Batangas versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Batangas versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batangas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Batangas 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, Batangas 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.