Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,557 per month in Caguas vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Caguas vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,415 per month in Caguas vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Caguas costs about 23% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Caguas sits 16% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 $14.76

$4.56 ฿149

223.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$46.63 ฿1,519

70.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$8.47 ฿276

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$2.66 $2.66

$3.03 ฿98.6

-12.21%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$0.69 ฿22.45

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.37 ฿11.92

189.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.49 ฿81.0

-18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.66 ฿119

6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.18 ฿71.0

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.90 ฿62.0

44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.20 ฿71.6

-0.45%

Eggs

$5.26 $5.26

$2.22 ฿72.4

136.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$19.99 ฿651

-65.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$3.66 ฿119

78.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 $10.31

$13.25 ฿432

-22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.23 ฿105

79.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.70 ฿55.3

40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.39 ฿78.0

-37.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.08 ฿67.7

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.59 ฿51.8

54.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.48 ฿48.31

106.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.03 ฿33.54

124.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.52 ฿16.83

255.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.56 $10.56

$4.25 ฿138

148.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$18.79 ฿612

-24.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.76 ฿57.2

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.76 ฿89.8

-17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.36 ฿44.32

48.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 $68.5

$11.36 ฿370

503.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 ฿33.74

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 $15.17

$13.77 ฿448

10.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.34 ฿43.79

-34.33%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

7.76%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-21.95%

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

$188 $188

$124 ฿4,025

51.99%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$13.52 ฿440

330.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 $56.6

$18.69 ฿609

202.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.86 $21.86

$61.8 ฿2,013

-64.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.30 $49.30

$17.25 ฿562

185.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 $9.18

$9.14 ฿298

0.44%

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

$304 $304

$703 ฿22.9K

-56.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-33.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.52 $20.52

$59.5 ฿1,937

-65.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 $35.28

$35.07 ฿1,142

0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 $69.5

$115 ฿3,754

-39.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 $89.7

$84.1 ฿2,737

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 $771

$619 ฿20.1K

24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 $531

$433 ฿14.1K

22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$983 $983

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-34.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 $2,333

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$848 $848

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-67.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 $3,104

$507 ฿16.5K

512.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

5.33

-9.01%

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

Last update for Caguas: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Caguas versus $619 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 512% higher in Caguas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Caguas versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $293 – making Phuket 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

Caguas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caguas costs about 23% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,335 per month in Caguas and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $80.0 in Caguas and $47.00 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 $1,557 in Caguas and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Caguas at $1,557. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caguas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,557 in Caguas. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caguas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.