Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Canelones vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,253 per month in Canelones vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Canelones vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Canelones is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Canelones and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Canelones 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 UYU 662

$4.70 ฿154

250.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 UYU 2,177

$45.37 ฿1,489

19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 UYU 498

$8.43 ฿277

46.86%

Cappuccino

$4.21 UYU 169

$2.93 ฿96.1

43.69%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.6

$0.69 ฿22.50

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.3

$0.37 ฿12.04

372.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 175

$2.41 ฿79.0

80.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$3.72 ฿122

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 50.9

$2.23 ฿73.3

-43.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$1.83 ฿60.1

51.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 66.2

$2.17 ฿71.1

-23.96%

Eggs

$4.82 UYU 194

$2.21 ฿72.6

118.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 UYU 543

$19.74 ฿648

-31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 UYU 433

$3.63 ฿119

196.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 UYU 445

$13.53 ฿444

-18.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$3.28 ฿108

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.5

$1.61 ฿52.9

53.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

$2.41 ฿79.0

-36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 UYU 145

$2.08 ฿68.4

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.9

$1.53 ฿50.2

37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UYU 77.3

$1.48 ฿48.58

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.2

$0.99 ฿32.44

38.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.8

$0.51 ฿16.74

239.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 UYU 201

$4.41 ฿145

13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 UYU 357

$19.38 ฿636

-54.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.7

$1.78 ฿58.4

29.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.71 ฿89.0

7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.3

$1.37 ฿44.99

-8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.80 UYU 1,803

$11.39 ฿374

293.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$3.02 ฿99.1

-52.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 UYU 63.0

$0.99 ฿32.63

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.22 UYU 452

$14.10 ฿463

-20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$1.36 ฿44.71

38.97%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$28.2K ฿925.3K

21.83%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

11.23%

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

$169 UYU 6,796

$122 ฿3,993

38.71%

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

$16.63 UYU 670

$13.57 ฿445

22.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 UYU 1,959

$18.31 ฿601

165.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 421

$8.69 ฿285

20.37%

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

$483 UYU 19.5K

$693 ฿22.8K

-30.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,753 UYU 352.4K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-44.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 UYU 3,767

$59.5 ฿1,953

57.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 UYU 1,934

$34.77 ฿1,141

38.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,526

$115 ฿3,760

-1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,878

$83.3 ฿2,733

45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 UYU 39.0K

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-53.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 UYU 46.5K

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-23.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 UYU 163.6K

$3,749 ฿123.0K

8.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 UYU 35.7K

$508 ฿16.7K

74.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

5.33

6.57%

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

Last update for Canelones: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Canelones, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Canelones versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 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

Canelones vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,616 per month in Canelones and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Canelones and $45.00 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 $1,078 in Canelones and $1,265 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 Canelones, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Canelones it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Canelones – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Canelones. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.