Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuauhtémoc and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuauhtémoc and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Cuauhtémoc vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,735 per month in Cuauhtémoc vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,376 per month in Cuauhtémoc vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Cuauhtémoc is about 11% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cuauhtémoc and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cuauhtémoc 18% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.65 MX$185
$4.63 ฿151
130.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.46 MX$687
$46.84 ฿1,523
-15.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.77 MX$135
$8.84 ฿287
-12.10%
Cappuccino
$3.25 MX$56.5
$3.00 ฿97.4
8.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 MX$21.34
$0.74 ฿24.11
66.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 MX$16.77
$0.37 ฿11.88
159.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 MX$42.13
$2.44 ฿79.3
-0.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 MX$68.2
$3.61 ฿117
8.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.81
$2.26 ฿73.5
-36.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 MX$43.83
$1.84 ฿59.8
36.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$27.13
$2.24 ฿73.0
-30.36%
Eggs
$2.38 MX$41.45
$2.32 ฿75.3
2.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.13 MX$141
$19.67 ฿639
-58.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.07 MX$140
$3.65 ฿119
121.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.71 MX$186
$13.10 ฿426
-18.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 MX$45.60
$3.39 ฿110
-22.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 MX$24.12
$1.64 ฿53.4
-15.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 MX$31.36
$2.41 ฿78.5
-25.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.65 MX$28.75
$2.03 ฿66.0
-18.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 MX$32.92
$1.56 ฿50.6
21.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$35.03
$1.50 ฿48.66
34.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 MX$22.01
$1.02 ฿33.30
23.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 MX$17.81
$0.49 ฿15.91
108.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 MX$73.3
$4.45 ฿145
-5.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.02 MX$192
$18.88 ฿614
-41.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$27.71
$1.78 ฿57.7
-10.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$47.93
$2.75 ฿89.5
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 MX$11.23
$1.40 ฿45.54
-53.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.48 ฿373
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 MX$44.46
$3.12 ฿101
-18.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 MX$26.84
$1.00 ฿32.48
54.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.46 MX$147
$14.09 ฿458
-39.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.84
$1.35 ฿43.93
-2.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K MX$363.2K
$27.2K ฿883.7K
-23.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K MX$392.6K
$32.9K ฿1.1M
-31.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.0 MX$992
$125 ฿4,063
-54.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.34 MX$389
$13.57 ฿441
64.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.44 MX$495
$18.52 ฿602
53.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.92 MX$625
$61.5 ฿1,999
-41.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.70 MX$273
$16.84 ฿547
-6.77%
Cinema Ticket
$4.67 MX$81.2
$9.19 ฿299
-49.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$205 MX$3,569
$698 ฿22.7K
-70.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,525 MX$61.3K
$15.6K ฿506.9K
-77.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 MX$935
$57.8 ฿1,878
-6.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.64 MX$690
$35.24 ฿1,146
12.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 MX$1,568
$113 ฿3,677
-20.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.6 MX$1,402
$86.4 ฿2,808
-6.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$518 MX$9,016
$616 ฿20.0K
-15.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$400 MX$6,962
$446 ฿14.5K
-10.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$926 MX$16.1K
$2,048 ฿66.6K
-54.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 MX$13.5K
$1,492 ฿48.5K
-48.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,872 MX$32.6K
$3,779 ฿122.8K
-50.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,420 MX$24.7K
$2,649 ฿86.1K
-46.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuauhtémoc
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$524 ฿17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.48
5.33
115.38%

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

Last update for Cuauhtémoc: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Cuauhtémoc 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Cuauhtémoc versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $292 – making Cuauhtémoc 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
Cuauhtémoc vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Cuauhtémoc?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,642 per month in Cuauhtémoc and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cuauhtémoc, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Cuauhtémoc or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Cuauhtémoc and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Cuauhtémoc and Phuket?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cuauhtémoc or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cuauhtémoc, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Cuauhtémoc it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cuauhtémoc or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cuauhtémoc – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cuauhtémoc or 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cuauhtémoc. 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.

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