Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in El Nido vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,282 per month in El Nido vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,761 per month in El Nido vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

El Nido is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Nido and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – El Nido 40% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 ₱319

$4.70 ฿154

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.02 ₱1,914

$45.37 ฿1,489

-31.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 ₱255

$8.43 ฿277

-51.01%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₱243

$2.93 ฿96.1

34.47%

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

$1.31 ₱80.9

$0.69 ฿22.50

89.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.61

$0.37 ฿12.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.6

$2.41 ฿79.0

-43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$3.72 ฿122

-41.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱112

$2.23 ฿73.3

-18.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱75.8

$1.83 ฿60.1

-32.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$2.17 ฿71.1

-16.59%

Eggs

$2.61 ₱161

$2.21 ฿72.6

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 ₱492

$19.74 ฿648

-59.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ₱203

$3.63 ฿119

-9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 ₱518

$13.53 ฿444

-37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ₱181

$3.28 ฿108

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ₱42.21

$1.61 ฿52.9

-57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$2.41 ฿79.0

8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ₱129

$2.08 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.53 ฿50.2

43.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 ₱129

$1.48 ฿48.58

41.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.3

$0.99 ฿32.44

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.48

$0.51 ฿16.74

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ₱174

$4.41 ฿145

-35.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 ₱471

$19.38 ฿636

-60.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.78 ฿58.4

-35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱123

$2.71 ฿89.0

-26.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.48

$1.37 ฿44.99

-73.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$3.02 ฿99.1

-72.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.87

$0.99 ฿32.63

-75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$14.10 ฿463

-85.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱63.9

$1.36 ฿44.71

-24.26%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-5.57%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-37.89%

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

$111 ₱6,876

$122 ฿3,993

-8.46%

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

$32.33 ₱1,996

$13.57 ฿445

138.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.14 ₱1,984

$18.31 ฿601

75.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.56 ₱2,071

$60.2 ฿1,976

-44.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 ₱266

$17.14 ฿562

-74.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 ₱373

$8.69 ฿285

-30.49%

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

$153 ₱9,417

$693 ฿22.8K

-78.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,256 ₱262.7K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-72.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.14 ₱2,786

$59.5 ฿1,953

-24.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.91 ₱1,661

$34.77 ฿1,141

-22.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,675

$115 ฿3,760

-33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 ₱3,281

$83.3 ฿2,733

-36.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$613 ฿20.1K

-57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₱36.6K

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-74.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 ₱143.5K

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-37.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$865 ₱53.4K

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-66.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 ₱16.0K

$508 ฿16.7K

-49.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.33

25.14%

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

Last update for El Nido: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in El Nido 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 96% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in El Nido versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $293 – making El Nido 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

El Nido vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $804 in El Nido, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,206 per month in El Nido 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 El Nido, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $804 in El Nido and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in El Nido and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Phuket at $1,265. In El Nido 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 $804 in El Nido 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 El Nido. 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.