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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,170 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,614 per month in Ecatepec vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Ecatepec is about 7% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ecatepec and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ecatepec 13% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.70 ฿153

179.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 MX$810

$45.37 ฿1,482

3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 MX$158

$8.43 ฿275

8.54%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.93 ฿95.6

21.84%

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

$1.32 MX$22.87

$0.69 ฿22.40

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.92

$0.37 ฿11.99

181.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 MX$81.6

$3.72 ฿122

26.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.68

$2.23 ฿72.9

-38.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 MX$47.75

$1.83 ฿59.8

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 MX$31.89

$2.17 ฿70.8

-15.21%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.66

$2.21 ฿72.3

14.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 MX$141

$19.74 ฿645

-58.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 MX$146

$3.63 ฿119

132.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$204

$13.53 ฿442

-12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MX$51.6

$3.28 ฿107

-9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.76

$1.61 ฿52.6

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.19

$2.41 ฿78.6

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.01

$2.08 ฿68.1

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.12

$1.53 ฿49.93

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.97

$1.48 ฿48.36

52.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$23.94

$0.99 ฿32.29

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.51 ฿16.67

113.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MX$71.7

$4.41 ฿144

-6.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 MX$274

$19.38 ฿633

-18.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

$2.71 ฿88.6

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.27

$1.37 ฿44.79

-52.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.24 MX$506

$11.39 ฿372

156.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 MX$27.90

$3.02 ฿98.6

-46.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.23

$0.99 ฿32.48

-69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$14.10 ฿461

-61.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.72

$1.36 ฿44.51

-7.35%

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

$18.1K MX$313.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-35.83%

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

$21.8K MX$376.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-33.78%

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

$40.82 MX$706

$122 ฿3,975

-66.46%

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

$21.53 MX$372

$13.57 ฿443

58.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.74 MX$514

$18.31 ฿598

62.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.17 MX$435

$60.2 ฿1,967

-58.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.48 MX$181

$17.14 ฿560

-38.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 MX$110

$8.69 ฿284

-26.70%

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

$338 MX$5,854

$693 ฿22.6K

-51.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,545 MX$61.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-77.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 MX$1,004

$59.5 ฿1,944

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 MX$770

$34.77 ฿1,136

27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$115 ฿3,743

-10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$83.3 ฿2,720

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 MX$8,824

$613 ฿20.0K

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 MX$6,884

$437 ฿14.3K

-8.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 MX$15.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 MX$13.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-49.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 MX$14.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-78.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$803 MX$13.9K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-69.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MX$10.1K

$508 ฿16.6K

14.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.33

115.76%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Ecatepec versus $613 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 15% 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 $47.00 in Ecatepec versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $280 in Ecatepec vs $293 in Phuket – so Ecatepec wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,170 in Ecatepec, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 8% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Ecatepec and $1,898 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 $47.00 in Ecatepec and $45.00 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 $1,170 in Ecatepec and $1,265 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 $1,170, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $1,170 in Ecatepec to $1,265 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.