🙂A single person spends $730 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,212 per month in Chimaltenango vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,694 per month in Chimaltenango vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Chimaltenango is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both Chimaltenango and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango46% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.08Q 38.72
$4.70฿154
8.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.8Q 387
$45.37฿1,483
11.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.44Q 49.03
$8.43฿276
-23.61%
Cappuccino
$3.30Q 25.10
$2.93฿95.7
12.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23Q 9.40
$0.69฿22.42
78.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91Q 6.95
$0.37฿12.00
145.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.29Q 25.10
$2.41฿78.7
36.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.69Q 35.71
$3.72฿122
26.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.09Q 15.95
$2.23฿73.0
-6.28%
White Bread(500g)
$3.03Q 23.06
$1.83฿59.9
65.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.06Q 15.69
$2.17฿70.9
-5.07%
Eggs
$2.65Q 20.19
$2.21฿72.4
19.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.75Q 59.0
$19.74฿645
-60.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.38Q 63.8
$3.63฿119
130.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.58Q 88.2
$13.53฿442
-14.41%
Apples(1kg)
$3.69Q 28.10
$3.28฿107
12.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57Q 11.95
$1.61฿52.7
-2.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.01Q 22.95
$2.41฿78.7
24.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.78Q 13.53
$2.08฿68.1
-14.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.69Q 12.84
$1.53฿49.97
10.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.36Q 18.01
$1.48฿48.41
59.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.75Q 5.68
$0.99฿32.32
-24.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23Q 9.35
$0.51฿16.68
141.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.73Q 28.45
$4.41฿144
-15.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.28Q 63.1
$19.38฿634
-57.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62Q 12.36
$1.78฿58.1
-8.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41Q 18.36
$2.71฿88.7
-11.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.37฿44.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.19Q 39.56
$3.02฿98.7
71.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.60Q 4.56
$0.99฿32.51
-39.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.64Q 119
$14.10฿461
10.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11Q 8.46
$1.36฿44.55
-18.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.9KQ 151.5K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-29.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9KQ 189.9K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-24.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$80.2Q 611
$122฿3,978
-34.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.30Q 200
$13.57฿444
93.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.04Q 366
$18.31฿599
162.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.2฿1,969
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.22Q 55.0
$8.69฿284
-16.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$244Q 1,855
$693฿22.7K
-64.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,786Q 44.1K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-63.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.30Q 376
$59.5฿1,946
-17.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.3Q 398
$34.77฿1,137
50.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118Q 897
$115฿3,746
2.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120Q 913
$83.3฿2,723
43.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$613฿20.0K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$437฿14.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,094฿68.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,509฿49.3K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chimaltenango
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.9
5.33
66.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chimaltenango: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chimaltenango versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Chimaltenango vs $293 in Phuket – so Chimaltenango 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
Chimaltenango vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chimaltenango or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 73% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chimaltenango vs Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,094 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chimaltenango vs Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chimaltenango and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chimaltenango or Phuket?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chimaltenango or Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chimaltenango or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $730 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chimaltenango compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Chimaltenango or Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. 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.
Chimaltenango vs other spots: cost of living compared