Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla de Margarita and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla de Margarita and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,786 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Isla de Margarita is about 49% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Isla de Margarita and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Isla de Margarita 51% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 VES 7,325

$4.48 ฿150

120.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 VES 59.7K

$45.59 ฿1,525

76.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.47 VES 1,833

$2.97 ฿99.3

-16.84%

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

$0.98 VES 726

$0.69 ฿22.96

42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 VES 1,104

$0.39 ฿13.07

282.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 VES 761

$2.53 ฿84.7

-59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 VES 2,263

$3.75 ฿125

-18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 VES 1,500

$2.15 ฿71.8

-6.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 VES 2,267

$1.82 ฿60.7

67.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,523

$2.18 ฿73.1

-5.96%

Eggs

$2.34 VES 1,734

$2.25 ฿75.2

4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 VES 5,965

$20.00 ฿669

-59.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 VES 6,038

$3.63 ฿121

123.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 VES 5,986

$13.56 ฿453

-40.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 VES 3,053

$3.24 ฿109

26.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 VES 1,146

$1.64 ฿54.7

-6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 VES 1,513

$2.33 ฿78.0

-12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 VES 1,889

$2.07 ฿69.3

23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,096

$1.55 ฿51.8

-4.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 VES 1,313

$1.46 ฿48.67

21.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 VES 764

$0.98 ฿32.94

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 VES 3,794

$18.57 ฿621

-72.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 VES 733

$1.86 ฿62.1

-46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 VES 1,138

$2.65 ฿88.8

-42.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 VES 2,286

$3.17 ฿106

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 VES 2,200

$1.03 ฿34.51

187.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$30.45 VES 22.6K

$123 ฿4,116

-75.25%

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

$15.23 VES 11.3K

$13.77 ฿461

10.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.42 VES 30.0K

$18.33 ฿613

120.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 VES 37.5K

$60.7 ฿2,030

-16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 VES 11.3K

$17.16 ฿574

-11.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 VES 3,602

$8.87 ฿297

-45.32%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 VES 59.4K

$59.3 ฿1,984

34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 VES 72.9K

$115 ฿3,853

-14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 VES 74.7K

$83.8 ฿2,802

20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 VES 221.1K

$621 ฿20.8K

-52.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 VES 370.7K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-75.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$592 VES 439.3K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-82.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Isla de Margarita: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in Isla de Margarita versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Isla de Margarita versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Isla de Margarita vs $291 in Phuket – so Isla de Margarita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Isla de Margarita vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $976 per month in Isla de Margarita and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Isla de Margarita and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $650, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Isla de Margarita. 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.