Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,615 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Ecatepec is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ecatepec and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ecatepec 22% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 MX$250

$4.56 ฿151

222.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 MX$813

$32.62 ฿1,082

46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 MX$188

$8.90 ฿295

24.27%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.80 ฿93.0

44.64%

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

$1.72 MX$29.14

$0.88 ฿29.19

95.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.32

$0.49 ฿16.23

120.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MX$58.6

$2.39 ฿79.2

44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 MX$97.8

$3.71 ฿123

55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.02

$1.79 ฿59.3

-11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.5

$1.44 ฿47.81

127.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$32.90

$1.58 ฿52.6

22.78%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.44

$2.13 ฿70.5

36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 MX$152

$19.92 ฿661

-54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 MX$176

$3.43 ฿114

202.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 MX$268

$11.33 ฿376

39.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MX$58.1

$2.95 ฿97.8

15.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.08

$1.72 ฿57.1

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 MX$35.71

$2.32 ฿77.1

-9.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.60

$2.08 ฿69.0

17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.40

$1.47 ฿48.77

45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.11

$1.36 ฿45.05

38.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MX$19.82

$1.10 ฿36.45

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.22

$0.57 ฿19.06

150.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 MX$81.2

$4.27 ฿142

11.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 MX$294

$18.42 ฿611

-6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 MX$35.70

$1.87 ฿62.1

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MX$70.3

$2.92 ฿96.9

41.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MX$12.57

$2.22 ฿73.6

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.46 MX$551

$22.90 ฿759

41.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MX$35.43

$3.03 ฿101

-31.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.40

$1.07 ฿35.63

-42.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MX$99.0

$3.93 ฿130

48.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$25.94

$1.49 ฿49.49

2.68%

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

$22.6K MX$384.6K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-16.53%

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

$25.6K MX$434.7K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-6.75%

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

$44.45 MX$755

$103 ฿3,410

-56.76%

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

$17.20 MX$292

$10.99 ฿365

56.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 MX$625

$17.51 ฿581

110.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.37 MX$482

$53.5 ฿1,776

-47.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 MX$203

$11.20 ฿371

6.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 MX$121

$7.48 ฿248

-4.41%

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

$381 MX$6,477

$557 ฿18.5K

-31.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,202 MX$88.3K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-56.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 MX$1,215

$64.1 ฿2,125

11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MX$947

$29.07 ฿964

91.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,937

$96.0 ฿3,183

18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MX$2,108

$90.3 ฿2,997

37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MX$4,515

$730 ฿24.2K

-63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 MX$2,461

$500 ฿16.6K

-71.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 MX$12.7K

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MX$8,035

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-60.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$809 MX$13.7K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-77.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MX$14.3K

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-66.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MX$9,881

$503 ฿16.7K

15.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.57

102.87%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Ecatepec versus $730 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 16% higher in Ecatepec, 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 $48.00 in Ecatepec versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $273 – 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

Ecatepec vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,067 in Ecatepec, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 17% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,600 per month in Ecatepec and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ecatepec, 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 $48.00 in Ecatepec and $33.00 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 $1,067 in Ecatepec and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,067, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Ecatepec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $1,067 in Ecatepec to $1,253 in Phuket. 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 Ecatepec. 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.