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: $700 in El Viejo versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in El Viejo versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in El Viejo versus $3,279 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 48% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 NIO 183

$4.63 ฿151

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.56 NIO 1,311

$46.84 ฿1,523

-24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 NIO 262

$8.84 ฿287

-19.68%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 89.6

$3.00 ฿97.4

-19.00%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.84

$0.74 ฿24.11

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.34

$0.37 ฿11.88

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 49.15

$2.44 ฿79.3

-45.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NIO 75.8

$3.61 ฿117

-42.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.55

$2.26 ฿73.5

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 NIO 90.6

$1.84 ฿59.8

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 NIO 66.2

$2.24 ฿73.0

-19.64%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 82.7

$2.32 ฿75.3

-3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 NIO 420

$19.67 ฿639

-42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 NIO 241

$3.65 ฿119

79.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 NIO 293

$13.10 ฿426

-39.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 NIO 148

$3.39 ฿110

18.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.84

$1.64 ฿53.4

-45.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.8

$2.41 ฿78.5

-26.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NIO 83.0

$2.03 ฿66.0

10.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 NIO 147

$1.56 ฿50.6

155.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NIO 81.0

$1.50 ฿48.66

46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 39.25

$1.02 ฿33.30

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 37.05

$0.49 ฿15.91

106.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 100

$4.45 ฿145

-38.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 NIO 545

$18.88 ฿614

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.2

$1.78 ฿57.7

-20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NIO 82.4

$2.75 ฿89.5

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 NIO 54.5

$3.12 ฿101

-52.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 NIO 254

$14.09 ฿458

-51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 50.1

$1.35 ฿43.93

0.74%

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

$22.9K NIO 844.8K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-15.69%

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

$26.8K NIO 988.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-18.51%

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

$99.6 NIO 3,670

$125 ฿4,063

-20.32%

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

$17.05 NIO 629

$13.57 ฿441

25.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.08 NIO 1,367

$18.52 ฿602

100.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 NIO 300

$9.19 ฿299

-11.43%

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

$122 NIO 4,514

$698 ฿22.7K

-82.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 NIO 218.7K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-61.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 NIO 2,827

$57.8 ฿1,878

32.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,664

$35.24 ฿1,146

105.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,894

$113 ฿3,677

17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,908

$86.4 ฿2,808

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

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 %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for El Viejo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in El Viejo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $292 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 $1,050 in El Viejo and $1,847 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 $122 in El Viejo versus $698 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 $36.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $700 in El Viejo versus $1,232 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.