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: $787 in El Viejo versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in El Viejo versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in El Viejo versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in El Viejo costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Viejo 43% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$4.66 ฿154

116.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.61 NIO 1,377

$32.22 ฿1,065

16.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 NIO 280

$8.68 ฿287

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$2.59 NIO 94.7

$2.90 ฿95.8

-10.69%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.11

$0.84 ฿27.89

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.54

$0.49 ฿16.16

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 NIO 51.8

$2.48 ฿82.0

-43.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NIO 73.8

$3.73 ฿123

-46.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 NIO 46.77

$1.89 ฿62.3

-32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.3

$1.41 ฿46.54

68.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NIO 63.3

$1.62 ฿53.6

6.79%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.24 ฿74.1

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 NIO 426

$19.84 ฿656

-41.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 NIO 241

$3.48 ฿115

88.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 NIO 265

$11.37 ฿376

-36.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 NIO 137

$2.90 ฿95.8

28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 NIO 22.99

$1.72 ฿57.0

-63.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$2.27 ฿75.1

-19.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.8

$2.13 ฿70.4

7.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 NIO 140

$1.47 ฿48.72

160.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$1.42 ฿46.92

53.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 NIO 37.94

$1.10 ฿36.25

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NIO 39.39

$0.60 ฿19.76

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 NIO 94.8

$4.31 ฿142

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 NIO 531

$18.60 ฿615

-22.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NIO 52.4

$1.80 ฿59.5

-20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NIO 85.8

$2.97 ฿98.0

-21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$3.10 ฿102

-46.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 NIO 58.7

$1.08 ฿35.56

48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$3.87 ฿128

77.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.64

$1.43 ฿47.16

-9.09%

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

$22.7K NIO 830.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-18.40%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.7K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-2.79%

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

$120 NIO 4,409

$105 ฿3,462

14.88%

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

$16.95 NIO 621

$11.39 ฿376

48.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.01 NIO 1,355

$17.54 ฿580

111.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 NIO 307

$7.78 ฿257

7.71%

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

$234 NIO 8,563

$576 ฿19.0K

-59.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 NIO 220.3K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-48.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 NIO 2,581

$63.6 ฿2,103

10.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.2 NIO 2,646

$29.10 ฿961

148.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,820

$96.2 ฿3,179

36.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,927

$90.0 ฿2,974

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for El Viejo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in El Viejo vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $275, with El Viejo cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,181 in El Viejo and $1,898 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 $234 in El Viejo versus $576 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 $38.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $787 in El Viejo versus $1,265 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 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.