Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $566 per month in La Merced vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $926 per month in La Merced vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in La Merced vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

La Merced is about 54% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Merced and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 59% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.15

$4.41 ฿147

1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 PEN 121

$32.26 ฿1,074

11.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.73

$8.93 ฿297

-21.28%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$2.90 ฿96.4

17.93%

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

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$0.88 ฿29.30

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.48 ฿16.01

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.15

$2.35 ฿78.3

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 PEN 15.48

$3.72 ฿124

23.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.67

$1.87 ฿62.1

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 PEN 6.94

$1.47 ฿48.81

40.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.55 ฿51.7

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.10 ฿70.0

15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 PEN 25.31

$19.59 ฿652

-61.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.12

$3.42 ฿114

74.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 PEN 30.66

$11.38 ฿379

-20.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$2.98 ฿99.3

-66.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.68 ฿56.1

-72.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$2.21 ฿73.5

-85.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$2.16 ฿72.0

-67.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$1.52 ฿50.8

-79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.59

$1.34 ฿44.55

-64.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$1.13 ฿37.57

-45.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.55 ฿18.19

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 PEN 20.05

$4.26 ฿142

39.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 PEN 25.76

$19.09 ฿635

-59.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.68

$1.78 ฿59.2

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 PEN 11.18

$2.78 ฿92.6

19.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 PEN 13.91

$3.03 ฿101

35.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.93

$1.02 ฿34.06

100.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 PEN 24.87

$3.89 ฿130

89.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$1.49 ฿49.63

15.44%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

-16.00%

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

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-4.35%

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

$70.0 PEN 236

$102 ฿3,411

-31.65%

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

$17.07 PEN 57.6

$11.33 ฿377

50.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 PEN 95.1

$17.40 ฿579

61.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.64

$7.69 ฿256

-1.17%

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

$183 PEN 618

$561 ฿18.7K

-67.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

15.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 PEN 184

$63.0 ฿2,098

-13.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 PEN 119

$29.52 ฿983

19.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 PEN 286

$98.0 ฿3,263

-13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 PEN 272

$88.5 ฿2,946

-8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

5.57

60.50%

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

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in La Merced versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in La Merced vs $274 in Phuket – so La Merced 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

La Merced vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 118% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $849 per month in La Merced and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $566 in La Merced and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in La Merced and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $566, than in Phuket at $1,232. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $566 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 La Merced. 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.