Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Desamparados vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,387 per month in Desamparados vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,201 per month in Desamparados vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Desamparados costs about 28% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Desamparados sits 17% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 ₡4,429

$4.63 ฿151

109.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₡23.5K

$46.84 ฿1,523

10.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,653

$8.84 ฿287

15.50%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,752

$3.00 ฿97.4

28.33%

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

$2.07 ₡945

$0.74 ฿24.11

179.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡745

$0.37 ฿11.88

343.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,391

$2.44 ฿79.3

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₡2,093

$3.61 ฿117

27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡936

$2.26 ฿73.5

-8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,262

$1.84 ฿59.8

50.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡1,003

$2.24 ฿73.0

-1.79%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,335

$2.32 ฿75.3

26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ₡4,426

$19.67 ฿639

-50.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 ₡4,205

$3.65 ฿119

152.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ₡6,308

$13.10 ฿426

5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₡2,036

$3.39 ฿110

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₡689

$1.64 ฿53.4

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₡1,891

$2.41 ฿78.5

72.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 ₡1,509

$2.03 ฿66.0

63.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,571

$1.56 ฿50.6

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,377

$1.50 ฿48.66

101.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡444

$1.02 ฿33.30

-4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,273

$0.49 ฿15.91

469.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 ₡2,311

$4.45 ฿145

13.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 ₡6,868

$18.88 ฿614

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₡1,031

$1.78 ฿57.7

26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,191

$2.75 ฿89.5

-5.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡460

$1.40 ฿45.54

-27.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡839

$3.12 ฿101

-41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡811

$1.00 ฿32.48

78.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 ₡3,536

$14.09 ฿458

-44.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡664

$1.35 ฿43.93

8.15%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

36.77%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.14%

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

$92.0 ₡41.9K

$125 ฿4,063

-26.37%

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

$25.54 ₡11.6K

$13.57 ฿441

88.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 ₡23.7K

$18.52 ฿602

180.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₡25.4K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-9.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.32 ₡11.1K

$16.84 ฿547

44.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 ₡4,443

$9.19 ฿299

6.09%

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

$535 ₡243.8K

$698 ฿22.7K

-23.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-20.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.6K

$57.8 ฿1,878

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.8K

$35.24 ฿1,146

48.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.9K

$113 ฿3,677

12.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.6K

$86.4 ฿2,808

25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡355.1K

$616 ฿20.0K

26.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₡270.3K

$446 ฿14.5K

33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡688.7K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-26.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₡443.6K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-34.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

5.33

90.81%

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

Last update for Desamparados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Desamparados 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 $52.0 in Desamparados versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $292 – making Phuket 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

Desamparados vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,573 in Desamparados, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 28% apart. Desamparados costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Desamparados 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 Phuket, 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 $52.0 in Desamparados and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Desamparados, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Desamparados at $1,573. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Desamparados it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,573 in Desamparados. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Desamparados makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.