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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,487 per month in Cancun vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,433 per month in Cancun vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,378 per month in Cancun vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Cancun costs about 19% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cancun sits 8% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$203

$4.56 ฿152

161.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 MX$1,001

$32.62 ฿1,086

80.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 MX$205

$8.90 ฿296

35.28%

Cappuccino

$4.17 MX$70.8

$2.80 ฿93.4

48.93%

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

$1.39 MX$23.68

$0.88 ฿29.31

57.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$14.95

$0.49 ฿16.29

79.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$56.2

$2.39 ฿79.5

38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MX$76.3

$3.71 ฿124

21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$1.79 ฿59.5

-1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.14

$1.44 ฿48.00

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.31

$1.58 ฿52.8

12.66%

Eggs

$2.88 MX$48.88

$2.13 ฿70.8

35.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 MX$177

$19.92 ฿663

-47.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 MX$155

$3.43 ฿114

165.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 MX$243

$11.33 ฿377

25.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$49.59

$2.95 ฿98.2

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MX$28.85

$1.72 ฿57.3

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 MX$55.1

$2.32 ฿77.4

39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MX$40.28

$2.08 ฿69.3

13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.56

$1.47 ฿48.96

38.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.35

$1.36 ฿45.22

44.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.30

$1.10 ฿36.59

8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$21.81

$0.57 ฿19.13

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MX$81.6

$4.27 ฿142

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 MX$179

$18.42 ฿613

-42.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$27.76

$1.87 ฿62.3

-12.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.43

$2.92 ฿97.3

-2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.48

$2.22 ฿73.9

-69.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.36 MX$516

$22.90 ฿762

32.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 MX$77.7

$3.03 ฿101

50.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 MX$53.4

$1.07 ฿35.77

193.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 MX$251

$3.93 ฿131

275.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.72

$1.49 ฿49.68

5.37%

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

$22.5K MX$382.9K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

-16.93%

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

$25.9K MX$440.4K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-5.60%

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

$177 MX$3,002

$103 ฿3,423

71.82%

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

$25.68 MX$436

$10.99 ฿366

133.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.90 MX$695

$17.51 ฿583

133.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.82 MX$592

$53.5 ฿1,783

-34.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 MX$248

$11.20 ฿373

30.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MX$132

$7.48 ฿249

3.74%

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

$222 MX$3,772

$557 ฿18.5K

-60.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,926 MX$100.7K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

-50.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MX$1,007

$64.1 ฿2,134

-7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 MX$998

$29.07 ฿968

102.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 MX$1,382

$96.0 ฿3,195

-15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,695

$90.3 ฿3,008

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 MX$11.9K

$730 ฿24.3K

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,188

$500 ฿16.6K

-3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 MX$25.4K

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 MX$19.1K

$1,209 ฿40.3K

-7.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,356 MX$23.0K

$3,596 ฿119.7K

-62.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,103 MX$35.7K

$2,512 ฿83.7K

-16.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 MX$14.4K

$503 ฿16.8K

68.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.57

105.57%

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

Last update for Cancun: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Cancun versus $730 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 68% 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 $59.0 in Cancun versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $273 – 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

Cancun vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,487 in Cancun, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 19% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,231 per month in Cancun and $1,880 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 $222 per month in Cancun and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Cancun at $1,487. 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $1,487 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.