Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Iligan City vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Iligan City vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,631 per month in Iligan City vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Iligan City is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iligan City and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Iligan City 40% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 ₱218

$4.55 ฿153

-22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.48 ₱1,076

$46.18 ฿1,550

-62.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱209

$8.84 ฿297

-61.54%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$3.06 ฿103

-22.55%

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

$0.83 ₱50.9

$0.73 ฿24.36

13.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.17

$0.40 ฿13.37

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₱79.4

$2.43 ฿81.6

-46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$3.78 ฿127

-43.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.26 ฿75.8

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.4

$1.81 ฿60.8

-29.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱62.3

$2.25 ฿75.7

-55.11%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱124

$2.25 ฿75.4

-10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 ₱504

$19.51 ฿655

-58.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.65 ฿122

31.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱474

$13.05 ฿438

-41.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$3.23 ฿109

-7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.5

$1.62 ฿54.3

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.38 ฿80.0

13.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.3

$2.03 ฿68.0

-23.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.53 ฿51.5

49.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₱155

$1.50 ฿50.4

68.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$0.98 ฿32.85

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.18

$0.52 ฿17.36

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱174

$4.44 ฿149

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 ₱491

$18.32 ฿615

-56.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.2

$1.86 ฿62.6

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱127

$2.68 ฿90.0

-23.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.96

$1.41 ฿47.37

-81.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.25

$3.11 ฿104

-75.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$1.04 ฿35.00

-78.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$14.11 ฿474

-84.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.8

$1.31 ฿44.02

-13.74%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-5.97%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.44%

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

$114 ₱7,021

$122 ฿4,110

-6.86%

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

$33.09 ₱2,037

$13.59 ฿456

143.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.79 ₱1,711

$18.70 ฿628

48.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.06 ₱2,097

$60.5 ฿2,031

-43.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱275

$16.98 ฿570

-73.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ₱365

$9.07 ฿305

-34.73%

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

$152 ₱9,357

$706 ฿23.7K

-78.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,350 ₱267.8K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-72.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.89 ₱2,764

$58.6 ฿1,965

-23.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.15 ₱1,610

$35.36 ฿1,187

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,656

$115 ฿3,876

-34.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,263

$83.7 ฿2,811

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.5K

$626 ฿21.0K

-57.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.8K

$445 ฿14.9K

-60.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-71.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-73.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ₱163.5K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-23.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 ₱66.9K

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-57.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 ₱12.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

-60.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.33

25.14%

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

Last update for Iligan City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Iligan City versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Iligan City versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $289 – making Iligan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Iligan City vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $798 in Iligan City, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,197 per month in Iligan City and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Iligan City and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $798 in Iligan City to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.