Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $921 in Esmeraldas versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,389 in Esmeraldas versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Esmeraldas versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in Esmeraldas costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Esmeraldas 31% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 $3.96

$4.51 ฿147

-12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.81 $32.81

$46.62 ฿1,515

-29.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 $4.11

$8.49 ฿276

-51.59%

Cappuccino

$2.82 $2.82

$3.08 ฿100

-8.44%

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

$0.52 $0.52

$0.68 ฿22.07

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.36 ฿11.75

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 ฿78.8

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.63 ฿118

11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.19 ฿71.1

-55.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.81 ฿59.0

-13.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.23 ฿72.5

-20.18%

Eggs

$1.47 $1.47

$2.24 ฿72.7

-34.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$19.60 ฿637

-54.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$3.72 ฿121

114.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$13.47 ฿438

-38.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.36 ฿109

-39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.62 ฿52.5

-25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.41 ฿78.3

-56.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.99 ฿64.6

-32.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.53 ฿49.76

-9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.45 ฿47.19

-26.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.01 ฿32.96

-48.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.48 ฿15.73

120.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.27 ฿139

44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$19.12 ฿621

-59.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.84 ฿59.7

-16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.74 ฿89.1

8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$1.42 ฿46.06

-73.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.92 $23.92

$11.72 ฿381

104.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.00 ฿97.6

-51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.05 ฿34.00

21.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$13.90 ฿452

-28.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.29 ฿41.94

-44.96%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$28.0K ฿911.1K

-29.22%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-22.48%

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

$33.96 $33.96

$122 ฿3,964

-72.16%

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

$14.16 $14.16

$13.93 ฿453

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.03 $29.03

$18.87 ฿613

53.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.45 $30.45

$61.3 ฿1,992

-50.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$16.84 ฿547

-12.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 $7.06

$8.89 ฿289

-20.58%

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

$275 $275

$691 ฿22.5K

-60.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,558 $8,558

$16.2K ฿525.2K

-47.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$57.8 ฿1,878

0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.83 $42.83

$35.39 ฿1,150

21.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$113 ฿3,685

-9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 $87.2

$83.0 ฿2,698

5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$607 ฿19.7K

-44.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$448 ฿14.6K

-30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$2,029 ฿66.0K

-68.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 $489

$1,493 ฿48.5K

-67.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,272 $1,272

$3,585 ฿116.5K

-64.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 $700

$2,585 ฿84.0K

-72.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 $441

$505 ฿16.4K

-12.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

5.33

109.94%

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

Last update for Esmeraldas: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Esmeraldas and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 14% 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: $33.00 in Esmeraldas vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $292 per month, with Esmeraldas 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

Esmeraldas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 14% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $337 in Esmeraldas versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $921 in Esmeraldas versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Esmeraldas 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, Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.