Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Cancun vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Cancun vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Cancun vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Cancun costs about 8% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cancun sits 2% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$231

$4.70 ฿153

184.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 MX$928

$45.37 ฿1,482

18.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 MX$175

$8.43 ฿275

20.17%

Cappuccino

$3.44 MX$59.5

$2.93 ฿95.6

17.41%

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

$1.58 MX$27.37

$0.69 ฿22.40

128.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.37 ฿11.99

143.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$77.4

$3.72 ฿122

20.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.78

$2.23 ฿72.9

-35.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.83 ฿59.8

38.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.40

$2.17 ฿70.8

-11.06%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.41

$2.21 ฿72.3

19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 MX$196

$19.74 ฿645

-42.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 MX$150

$3.63 ฿119

139.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 MX$185

$13.53 ฿442

-20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$3.28 ฿107

-0.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.13

$1.61 ฿52.6

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.41 ฿78.6

30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.04

$2.08 ฿68.1

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.01

$1.53 ฿49.93

39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.97

$1.48 ฿48.36

56.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$0.99 ฿32.29

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.14

$0.51 ฿16.67

150.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$4.41 ฿144

-4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MX$177

$19.38 ฿633

-47.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.99

$1.78 ฿58.1

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.24

$2.71 ฿88.6

-3.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.42

$1.37 ฿44.79

-56.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 MX$1,048

$11.39 ฿372

432.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MX$72.8

$3.02 ฿98.6

39.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 MX$42.83

$0.99 ฿32.48

150.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MX$172

$14.10 ฿461

-29.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.01

$1.36 ฿44.51

-2.21%

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

$30.5K MX$528.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

8.26%

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

$24.1K MX$416.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-26.79%

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

$116 MX$2,000

$122 ฿3,975

-5.01%

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

$23.15 MX$400

$13.57 ฿443

70.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.11 MX$625

$18.31 ฿598

97.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 MX$439

$60.2 ฿1,967

-57.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 MX$416

$17.14 ฿560

40.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 MX$105

$8.69 ฿284

-30.26%

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

$197 MX$3,413

$693 ฿22.6K

-71.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,199 MX$89.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-66.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$932

$59.5 ฿1,944

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$690

$34.77 ฿1,136

14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MX$1,430

$115 ฿3,743

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$1,930

$83.3 ฿2,720

33.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MX$10.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MX$7,931

$437 ฿14.3K

4.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 MX$21.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MX$17.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-32.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MX$37.9K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-41.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 MX$39.6K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-12.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$13.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

58.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Cancun versus $613 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 58% higher in Cancun, 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 $54.0 in Cancun versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Cancun vs $293 in Phuket – so Cancun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cancun vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,365 in Cancun, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 8% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,048 per month in Cancun and $1,898 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.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Cancun and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Cancun – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,365 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Cancun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.