Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Boquete versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,065 in Boquete versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,741 in Boquete versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Boquete is roughly 10% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 4% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 PAB 5.43

$4.70 ฿153

15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 PAB 29.91

$45.37 ฿1,482

-34.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 PAB 7.36

$8.43 ฿275

-12.69%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$2.93 ฿95.6

13.31%

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

$1.40 PAB 1.40

$0.69 ฿22.40

102.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 PAB 0.87

$0.37 ฿11.99

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 PAB 1.77

$2.41 ฿78.6

-26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$3.72 ฿122

-45.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$2.23 ฿72.9

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.83 ฿59.8

31.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$2.17 ฿70.8

-35.02%

Eggs

$2.66 PAB 2.66

$2.21 ฿72.3

20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 PAB 9.11

$19.74 ฿645

-53.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$3.63 ฿119

109.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 PAB 11.00

$13.53 ฿442

-18.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 PAB 4.44

$3.28 ฿107

35.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 PAB 1.00

$1.61 ฿52.6

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 PAB 3.18

$2.41 ฿78.6

31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$2.08 ฿68.1

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$1.53 ฿49.93

49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 PAB 1.68

$1.48 ฿48.36

13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

$0.99 ฿32.29

125.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$0.51 ฿16.67

223.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 PAB 5.35

$4.41 ฿144

21.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 PAB 8.08

$19.38 ฿633

-58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.78 ฿58.1

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PAB 2.70

$2.71 ฿88.6

-0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$1.37 ฿44.79

10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 PAB 25.34

$11.39 ฿372

122.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$3.02 ฿98.6

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$0.99 ฿32.48

108.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

$14.10 ฿461

115.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.36 ฿44.51

-34.56%

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

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-8.69%

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

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-36.77%

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

$53.7 PAB 53.7

$122 ฿3,975

-55.92%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$13.57 ฿443

109.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 PAB 45.79

$18.31 ฿598

150.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 PAB 87.9

$60.2 ฿1,967

46.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.68 PAB 17.68

$17.14 ฿560

3.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 PAB 6.41

$8.69 ฿284

-26.24%

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

$245 PAB 245

$693 ฿22.6K

-64.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.53 PAB 35.53

$59.5 ฿1,944

-40.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 PAB 25.36

$34.77 ฿1,136

-27.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 PAB 51.4

$115 ฿3,743

-55.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 PAB 58.9

$83.3 ฿2,720

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 PAB 743

$613 ฿20.0K

21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 PAB 652

$437 ฿14.3K

49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-25.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 PAB 1,142

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-24.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-68.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 PAB 1,155

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-55.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$800 PAB 800

$508 ฿16.6K

57.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Boquete and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 58% 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: $30.00 in Boquete vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $293 per month, with Boquete 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

Boquete vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boquete pays 58% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $743 in Boquete versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boquete pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,389 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Boquete. 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 Boquete, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boquete 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 10% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.