Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Cayo Coco versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,110 in Cayo Coco versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 5% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 9% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 CUP 116

$4.48 ฿150

8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.73 CUP 353

$45.59 ฿1,521

-67.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 CUP 170

$8.76 ฿292

-19.29%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.39

$2.97 ฿99.0

-65.66%

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

$2.05 CUP 49.17

$0.69 ฿22.90

197.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.67

$0.39 ฿13.04

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 CUP 48.78

$2.53 ฿84.4

-19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CUP 70.8

$3.75 ฿125

-21.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 CUP 72.3

$2.15 ฿71.6

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$1.82 ฿60.6

-46.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 CUP 48.32

$2.18 ฿72.9

-7.80%

Eggs

$3.50 CUP 83.9

$2.25 ฿75.0

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 CUP 145

$20.00 ฿667

-69.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 CUP 117

$3.63 ฿121

34.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 CUP 244

$13.56 ฿452

-24.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 CUP 122

$3.24 ฿108

57.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.64 ฿54.6

-37.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.31

$2.33 ฿77.8

-58.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.38

$2.07 ฿69.1

-53.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$1.55 ฿51.6

-37.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CUP 71.5

$1.46 ฿48.54

104.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.59

$0.98 ฿32.86

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 CUP 24.64

$0.48 ฿16.09

114.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$4.35 ฿145

-33.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.97 CUP 239

$18.57 ฿620

-46.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CUP 46.80

$1.86 ฿61.9

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.16

$2.65 ฿88.6

-22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 CUP 474

$11.57 ฿386

70.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 CUP 24.67

$3.17 ฿106

-67.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.03 ฿34.41

-0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.03 CUP 481

$13.89 ฿463

44.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 CUP 23.32

$1.34 ฿44.84

-27.61%

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

$70.6K CUP 1.7M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

154.09%

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

$81.1K CUP 1.9M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

142.84%

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

$40.57 CUP 974

$123 ฿4,105

-67.03%

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

$40.77 CUP 978

$13.77 ฿459

196.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,267

$18.33 ฿611

1097.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.94 CUP 959

$60.7 ฿2,025

-34.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 CUP 237

$17.16 ฿573

-42.37%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$8.87 ฿296

-88.95%

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

$91.1 CUP 2,187

$688 ฿22.9K

-86.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 357.8K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-5.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.55 CUP 949

$59.3 ฿1,978

-33.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.45 CUP 731

$34.69 ฿1,157

-12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 CUP 1,799

$115 ฿3,843

-34.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CUP 1,956

$83.8 ฿2,794

-2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 CUP 9,437

$621 ฿20.7K

-36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 CUP 10.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-3.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-48.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 CUP 14.8K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-58.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$304 CUP 7,297

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-91.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CUP 8,351

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-86.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.02 CUP 481

$494 ฿16.5K

-95.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

87.62%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Cayo Coco and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 2366% 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: $15.00 in Cayo Coco vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $291 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cayo Coco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2366% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Cayo Coco versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.1 in Cayo Coco versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cayo Coco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,205 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cayo Coco hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.