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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in El Viejo versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,152 in El Viejo versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in El Viejo versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in El Viejo costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Viejo 47% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 NIO 184

$4.56 ฿149

10.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.76 NIO 1,273

$46.63 ฿1,519

-25.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 NIO 252

$8.47 ฿276

-18.77%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 89.1

$3.03 ฿98.6

-19.80%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.35

$0.69 ฿22.45

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.83

$0.37 ฿11.92

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NIO 47.28

$2.49 ฿81.0

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NIO 72.3

$3.66 ฿119

-46.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.68

$2.18 ฿71.0

-44.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 NIO 90.8

$1.90 ฿62.0

30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.7

$2.20 ฿71.6

-17.27%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$2.22 ฿72.4

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 NIO 404

$19.99 ฿651

-44.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 NIO 238

$3.66 ฿119

77.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 NIO 294

$13.25 ฿432

-39.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NIO 144

$3.23 ฿105

21.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.69

$1.70 ฿55.3

-50.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$2.39 ฿78.0

-23.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.8

$2.08 ฿67.7

10.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 NIO 140

$1.59 ฿51.8

140.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.2

$1.48 ฿48.31

47.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.86

$1.03 ฿33.54

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.26

$0.52 ฿16.83

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NIO 96.5

$4.25 ฿138

-38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NIO 542

$18.79 ฿612

-21.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NIO 51.1

$1.76 ฿57.2

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NIO 82.1

$2.76 ฿89.8

-18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 NIO 55.7

$3.14 ฿102

-51.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 NIO 248

$13.77 ฿448

-50.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.76

$1.34 ฿43.79

-2.99%

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

$22.8K NIO 836.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-17.53%

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

$25.9K NIO 949.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-23.43%

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

$97.2 NIO 3,558

$124 ฿4,025

-21.39%

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

$16.79 NIO 615

$13.52 ฿440

24.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 NIO 1,366

$18.69 ฿609

99.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 NIO 296

$9.14 ฿298

-11.60%

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

$124 NIO 4,551

$703 ฿22.9K

-82.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,090 NIO 223.1K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-61.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 NIO 2,800

$59.5 ฿1,937

28.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,669

$35.07 ฿1,142

107.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,809

$115 ฿3,754

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 4,005

$84.1 ฿2,737

30.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for El Viejo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in El Viejo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $293 per month, with El Viejo cheaper across the board.

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 Viejo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,075 in El Viejo and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $124 in El Viejo versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in El Viejo versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Viejo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, El Viejo and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.