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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Cholula vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in Cholula vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Cholula vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Cholula is about 19% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cholula and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 25% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 MX$216

$4.63 ฿151

167.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 MX$815

$46.84 ฿1,523

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 MX$135

$8.84 ฿287

-11.99%

Cappuccino

$3.67 MX$63.9

$3.00 ฿97.4

22.33%

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

$1.19 MX$20.77

$0.74 ฿24.11

60.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.99

$0.37 ฿11.88

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$40.68

$2.44 ฿79.3

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MX$75.0

$3.61 ฿117

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.26 ฿73.5

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.61

$1.84 ฿59.8

45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.35

$2.24 ฿73.0

-29.91%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$41.92

$2.32 ฿75.3

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 MX$121

$19.67 ฿639

-64.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 MX$110

$3.65 ฿119

73.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MX$194

$13.10 ฿426

-15.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 MX$43.18

$3.39 ฿110

-26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.53

$1.64 ฿53.4

-14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.90

$2.41 ฿78.5

-28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.04

$2.03 ฿66.0

-12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.20

$1.56 ฿50.6

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.91

$1.50 ฿48.66

26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.19

$1.02 ฿33.30

25.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.10

$0.49 ฿15.91

124.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MX$74.9

$4.45 ฿145

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 MX$254

$18.88 ฿614

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.78 ฿57.7

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$48.93

$2.75 ฿89.5

2.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.20

$1.40 ฿45.54

-54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.99 MX$278

$11.48 ฿373

39.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$3.12 ฿101

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MX$21.43

$1.00 ฿32.48

23.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 MX$183

$14.09 ฿458

-25.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.82

$1.35 ฿43.93

-2.96%

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

$19.7K MX$342.9K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-27.51%

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

$20.3K MX$353.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.33%

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

$63.3 MX$1,102

$125 ฿4,063

-49.33%

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

$22.29 MX$388

$13.57 ฿441

64.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MX$438

$18.52 ฿602

35.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 MX$637

$61.5 ฿1,999

-40.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 MX$275

$16.84 ฿547

-6.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 MX$93.4

$9.19 ฿299

-41.57%

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

$315 MX$5,477

$698 ฿22.7K

-54.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$62.0K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-77.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MX$871

$57.8 ฿1,878

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 MX$743

$35.24 ฿1,146

21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,884

$113 ฿3,677

-4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,736

$86.4 ฿2,808

15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MX$6,571

$616 ฿20.0K

-38.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 MX$4,441

$446 ฿14.5K

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MX$9,045

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-74.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,801

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-73.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 MX$34.3K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-47.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 MX$22.0K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-52.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MX$15.0K

$524 ฿17.0K

65.09%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Cholula versus $616 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 65% 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 $47.00 in Cholula versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $292 – 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 23% 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 $1,497 per month in Cholula and $1,847 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 $47.00 in Cholula and $47.00 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 $998 in Cholula and $1,232 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 $998, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $998 versus $1,232 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.