Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Havana versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,538 in Havana versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,112 in Havana versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Havana costs roughly 24% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Havana 28% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$4.70 ฿153

-21.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 CUP 714

$45.37 ฿1,482

-34.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 CUP 155

$8.43 ฿275

-23.25%

Cappuccino

$1.24 CUP 29.75

$2.93 ฿95.6

-57.68%

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

$2.22 CUP 53.4

$0.69 ฿22.40

221.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CUP 36.56

$0.37 ฿11.99

310.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 CUP 48.25

$2.41 ฿78.6

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CUP 59.1

$3.72 ฿122

-33.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.36 CUP 80.7

$2.23 ฿72.9

50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 CUP 25.70

$1.83 ฿59.8

-41.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 CUP 56.4

$2.17 ฿70.8

8.29%

Eggs

$3.56 CUP 85.5

$2.21 ฿72.3

61.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 CUP 118

$19.74 ฿645

-75.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 CUP 127

$3.63 ฿119

45.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 CUP 229

$13.53 ฿442

-29.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 CUP 121

$3.28 ฿107

53.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CUP 33.13

$1.61 ฿52.6

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 CUP 58.2

$2.41 ฿78.6

0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CUP 40.54

$2.08 ฿68.1

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 CUP 67.4

$1.53 ฿49.93

83.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.5

$1.48 ฿48.36

87.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$0.99 ฿32.29

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CUP 27.35

$0.51 ฿16.67

123.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 CUP 93.6

$4.41 ฿144

-11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 CUP 95.3

$19.38 ฿633

-79.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 CUP 50.2

$1.78 ฿58.1

17.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.22

$2.71 ฿88.6

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 CUP 30.74

$1.37 ฿44.79

-6.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 CUP 595

$11.39 ฿372

117.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CUP 75.0

$3.02 ฿98.6

3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 CUP 11.53

$0.99 ฿32.48

-51.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 CUP 363

$14.10 ฿461

7.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CUP 30.30

$1.36 ฿44.51

-7.35%

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

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

114.35%

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

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

103.27%

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

$37.68 CUP 904

$122 ฿3,975

-69.04%

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

$40.35 CUP 968

$13.57 ฿443

197.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 CUP 1,782

$18.31 ฿598

305.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.12 CUP 963

$60.2 ฿1,967

-33.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 CUP 147

$17.14 ฿560

-64.29%

Cinema Ticket

$0.88 CUP 21.16

$8.69 ฿284

-89.87%

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

$114 CUP 2,741

$693 ฿22.6K

-83.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-35.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.14 CUP 963

$59.5 ฿1,944

-32.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 CUP 808

$34.77 ฿1,136

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 CUP 1,802

$115 ฿3,743

-34.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 CUP 2,027

$83.3 ฿2,720

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 CUP 8,905

$613 ฿20.0K

-39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 CUP 6,982

$437 ฿14.3K

-33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-51.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 CUP 14.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-60.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,037

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-91.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 CUP 9,742

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-84.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.02 CUP 792

$508 ฿16.6K

-93.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

5.33

39.40%

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

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Havana and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 1439% 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: $30.00 in Havana vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $293 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Havana and Phuket differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($964 vs $1,265 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 1439% 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: $371 in Havana versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $964 per month in Havana versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Havana versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Havana 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 Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.