Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,032 in Escazu versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Escazu versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,569 in Escazu versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Escazu is roughly 65% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Escazu is 52% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₡4,984

$4.63 ฿151

136.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 ₡27.2K

$46.84 ฿1,532

27.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,504

$8.84 ฿289

11.99%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,773

$3.00 ฿98.0

30.00%

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

$2.06 ₡935

$0.74 ฿24.25

178.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡757

$0.37 ฿11.95

348.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₡1,372

$2.44 ฿79.8

23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,117

$3.61 ฿118

28.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡936

$2.26 ฿73.9

-8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 ₡1,250

$1.84 ฿60.1

49.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,006

$2.24 ฿73.4

-1.34%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,338

$2.32 ฿75.7

26.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₡4,484

$19.67 ฿643

-49.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 ₡4,219

$3.65 ฿119

154.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 ₡6,243

$13.10 ฿428

4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 ₡2,106

$3.39 ฿111

36.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡678

$1.64 ฿53.7

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 ₡1,916

$2.41 ฿79.0

74.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,456

$2.03 ฿66.4

57.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,624

$1.56 ฿50.9

128.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,472

$1.50 ฿48.94

116.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡430

$1.02 ฿33.50

-6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,344

$0.49 ฿16.00

504.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 ₡2,196

$4.45 ฿145

8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 ₡8,522

$18.88 ฿617

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₡802

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₡1,242

$2.75 ฿90.1

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$1.40 ฿45.81

-31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 ₡757

$3.12 ฿102

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡805

$1.00 ฿32.67

77.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,682

$14.09 ฿461

-42.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡632

$1.35 ฿44.19

2.96%

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

$31.4K ₡14.3M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

15.34%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.32%

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

$66.2 ₡30.1K

$125 ฿4,087

-47.01%

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

$25.87 ₡11.8K

$13.57 ฿444

90.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 ₡22.8K

$18.52 ฿606

170.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 ₡49.0K

$61.5 ฿2,010

75.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 ₡4,621

$16.84 ฿551

-39.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 ₡4,446

$9.19 ฿300

6.42%

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

$580 ₡263.5K

$698 ฿22.8K

-17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₡6.5M

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-8.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ₡28.1K

$57.8 ฿1,889

6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.3K

$35.24 ฿1,152

45.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.4K

$113 ฿3,699

11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₡47.9K

$86.4 ฿2,825

22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 ₡484.5K

$616 ฿20.1K

72.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₡481.6K

$446 ฿14.6K

137.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 ₡764.3K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-17.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₡596.4K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-12.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 ₡738.7K

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-57.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 ₡514.9K

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-57.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 ₡799.8K

$524 ฿17.1K

235.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

5.33

90.81%

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

Last update for Escazu: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,065 in Escazu and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 236% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Escazu vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $292 per month, with Phuket 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

Escazu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Escazu pays 236% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,065 in Escazu versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,032 per month in Escazu versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,032 in Escazu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Escazu. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Escazu 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.