Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $623 in Ibarra versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $950 in Ibarra versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,276 in Ibarra versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Ibarra costs roughly 51% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibarra 54% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$4.56 ฿149

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.65 $24.65

$46.63 ฿1,519

-47.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 $5.74

$8.47 ฿276

-32.23%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$3.03 ฿98.6

-26.73%

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

$0.80 $0.80

$0.69 ฿22.45

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.37 ฿11.92

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.49 ฿81.0

-59.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.66 ฿119

-44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.18 ฿71.0

-59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.90 ฿62.0

-38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.20 ฿71.6

-24.55%

Eggs

$1.45 $1.45

$2.22 ฿72.4

-34.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$19.99 ฿651

-85.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.66 ฿119

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$13.25 ฿432

-53.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.23 ฿105

-52.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.70 ฿55.3

-64.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.39 ฿78.0

-55.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.08 ฿67.7

-62.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$1.59 ฿51.8

-72.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.48 ฿48.31

-30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.03 ฿33.54

-39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.52 ฿16.83

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.25 ฿138

37.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$18.79 ฿612

-57.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.76 ฿57.2

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.76 ฿89.8

-47.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 $0.44

$1.36 ฿44.32

-67.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.99 $4.99

$11.36 ฿370

-56.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.14 ฿102

-51.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.04 ฿33.74

4.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$13.77 ฿448

-63.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.34 ฿43.79

-50.75%

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

$20.1K $20.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-27.55%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-25.94%

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

$33.99 $33.99

$124 ฿4,025

-72.50%

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

$14.00 $14.00

$13.52 ฿440

3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.62 $28.62

$18.69 ฿609

53.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.96 $29.96

$61.8 ฿2,013

-51.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$17.25 ฿562

-13.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 $4.11

$9.14 ฿298

-55.03%

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

$91.8 $91.8

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,686 $8,686

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-45.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$59.5 ฿1,937

-2.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.07 $33.07

$35.07 ฿1,142

-5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 $71.1

$115 ฿3,754

-38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 $74.4

$84.1 ฿2,737

-11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 $183

$619 ฿20.1K

-70.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 $167

$433 ฿14.1K

-61.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 $246

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-88.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 $251

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-83.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$753 $753

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-79.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$624 $624

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-76.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 $599

$507 ฿16.5K

18.20%

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 Ibarra: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $183 in Ibarra and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibarra pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Ibarra vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $293 per month, with Ibarra 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

Ibarra vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibarra wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibarra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ibarra pays 18% 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: $183 in Ibarra versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibarra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $623 in Ibarra versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibarra but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ibarra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $623 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibarra hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ibarra 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 Ibarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.