Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,743 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Isla Mujeres costs roughly 11% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isla Mujeres 19% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$177

$4.56 ฿150

130.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 MX$650

$32.62 ฿1,073

18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$132

$8.90 ฿293

-12.25%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$54.2

$2.80 ฿92.3

14.64%

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

$1.29 MX$21.76

$0.88 ฿28.96

46.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.14

$0.49 ฿16.09

83.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$36.67

$2.39 ฿78.6

-9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 MX$66.8

$3.71 ฿122

6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$24.42

$1.79 ฿58.8

-18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$44.27

$1.44 ฿47.43

81.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.42

$1.58 ฿52.1

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.29 MX$38.59

$2.13 ฿70.0

7.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 MX$136

$19.92 ฿655

-59.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 MX$129

$3.43 ฿113

123.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 MX$180

$11.33 ฿373

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$43.56

$2.95 ฿97.0

-12.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.36

$1.72 ฿56.6

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.89

$2.32 ฿76.5

-23.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.77

$2.08 ฿68.5

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.19

$1.47 ฿48.37

25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.61

$1.36 ฿44.68

41.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.10 ฿36.15

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$16.57

$0.57 ฿18.90

71.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$70.1

$4.27 ฿140

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.01 MX$186

$18.42 ฿606

-40.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$26.27

$1.87 ฿61.6

-16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$47.87

$2.92 ฿96.1

-3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.45

$2.22 ฿73.0

-72.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$44.40

$3.03 ฿99.7

-13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$25.95

$1.07 ฿35.34

43.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 MX$142

$3.93 ฿129

113.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.16

$1.49 ฿49.09

-16.11%

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

$20.8K MX$351.9K

$27.1K ฿892.5K

-23.17%

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

$22.6K MX$381.0K

$27.5K ฿903.2K

-17.79%

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

$56.7 MX$958

$103 ฿3,382

-44.83%

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

$22.16 MX$374

$10.99 ฿362

101.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.44 MX$480

$17.51 ฿576

62.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MX$616

$53.5 ฿1,761

-31.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 MX$267

$11.20 ฿368

40.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MX$80.3

$7.48 ฿246

-36.36%

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

$209 MX$3,536

$557 ฿18.3K

-62.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,661 MX$61.8K

$11.9K ฿390.0K

-69.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MX$894

$64.1 ฿2,108

-17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.40 MX$682

$29.07 ฿957

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 MX$1,508

$96.0 ฿3,157

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MX$1,341

$90.3 ฿2,972

-12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,637

$730 ฿24.0K

-29.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,801

$500 ฿16.4K

-19.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$16.0K

$2,090 ฿68.8K

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$12.8K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-37.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 MX$29.7K

$3,596 ฿118.3K

-51.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MX$19.5K

$2,512 ฿82.7K

-54.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

5.57

106.10%

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

Last update for Isla Mujeres: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Isla Mujeres and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $273, with Isla Mujeres cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mujeres vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isla Mujeres and Phuket differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,113 vs $1,253 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,669 in Isla Mujeres and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Isla Mujeres versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,113 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres 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, Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.