Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Cholula vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Cholula vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,155 per month in Cholula vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Cholula is about 20% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cholula and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 24% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 MX$215

$4.48 ฿150

174.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.30 MX$807

$45.59 ฿1,525

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$142

$8.76 ฿293

-6.85%

Cappuccino

$3.54 MX$61.7

$2.97 ฿99.3

19.19%

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

$1.23 MX$21.53

$0.69 ฿22.96

78.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.90

$0.39 ฿13.07

117.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.93

$2.53 ฿84.7

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$3.75 ฿125

10.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.13

$2.15 ฿71.8

-30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.68

$1.82 ฿60.7

47.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.81

$2.18 ฿73.1

-27.06%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.63

$2.25 ฿75.2

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 MX$119

$20.00 ฿669

-65.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MX$110

$3.63 ฿121

74.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 MX$195

$13.56 ฿453

-17.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.78

$3.24 ฿109

-20.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.81

$1.64 ฿54.7

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.86

$2.33 ฿78.0

-26.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$2.07 ฿69.3

-13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.79

$1.55 ฿51.8

14.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.41

$1.46 ฿48.67

31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.28

$0.98 ฿32.94

30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.27

$0.48 ฿16.13

141.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$4.35 ฿146

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 MX$248

$18.57 ฿621

-23.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.88

$1.86 ฿62.1

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$47.92

$2.65 ฿88.8

3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.44

$1.42 ฿47.40

-57.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.82 MX$276

$11.57 ฿387

36.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 MX$54.2

$3.17 ฿106

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.83

$1.03 ฿34.51

15.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 MX$182

$13.89 ฿465

-24.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.09

$1.34 ฿44.96

-5.22%

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

$19.9K MX$346.6K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-28.49%

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

$20.2K MX$352.2K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-39.51%

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

$63.0 MX$1,098

$123 ฿4,116

-48.83%

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

$22.13 MX$386

$13.77 ฿461

60.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.37 MX$442

$18.33 ฿613

38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MX$636

$60.7 ฿2,030

-39.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$279

$17.16 ฿574

-6.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 MX$89.9

$8.87 ฿297

-41.94%

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

$319 MX$5,560

$688 ฿23.0K

-53.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 MX$63.6K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-76.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 MX$874

$59.3 ฿1,984

-15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 MX$739

$34.69 ฿1,160

22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,939

$115 ฿3,853

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,741

$83.8 ฿2,802

19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MX$6,379

$621 ฿20.8K

-41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,424

$446 ฿14.9K

-43.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,935

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-74.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MX$6,558

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-74.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,925 MX$33.6K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-44.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 MX$21.6K

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-51.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$869 MX$15.2K

$494 ฿16.5K

76.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

5.33

111.07%

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

Last update for Cholula: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Cholula versus $621 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 76% higher in Cholula, 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 $46.00 in Cholula versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $291 – making Cholula 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

Cholula vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 25% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,518 per month in Cholula and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cholula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula and $46.00 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 $1,012 in Cholula and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $1,012 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cholula. 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.