Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,310 per month in Leon vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Leon vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,951 per month in Leon vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Leon costs about 4% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leon and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Leon 5% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$227

$4.66 ฿154

187.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 MX$990

$32.22 ฿1,065

81.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 MX$161

$8.68 ฿287

8.99%

Cappuccino

$4.36 MX$74.0

$2.90 ฿95.8

50.34%

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

$1.45 MX$24.63

$0.84 ฿27.89

72.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$20.06

$0.49 ฿16.16

140.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MX$59.9

$2.48 ฿82.0

42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 MX$69.8

$3.73 ฿123

10.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.14

$1.89 ฿62.3

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 MX$50.6

$1.41 ฿46.54

112.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$31.81

$1.62 ฿53.6

16.05%

Eggs

$3.54 MX$60.0

$2.24 ฿74.1

58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 MX$133

$19.84 ฿656

-60.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 MX$143

$3.48 ฿115

141.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 MX$204

$11.37 ฿376

5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.78

$2.90 ฿95.8

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.37

$1.72 ฿57.0

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MX$31.91

$2.27 ฿75.1

-17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.30

$2.13 ฿70.4

-24.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.34

$1.47 ฿48.72

53.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.11

$1.42 ฿46.92

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 MX$24.86

$1.10 ฿36.25

33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MX$12.75

$0.60 ฿19.76

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.99 MX$84.6

$4.31 ฿142

15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 MX$254

$18.60 ฿615

-19.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 MX$41.90

$1.80 ฿59.5

37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MX$67.0

$2.97 ฿98.0

33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 MX$14.51

$2.25 ฿74.2

-61.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.63 MX$655

$23.49 ฿776

64.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 MX$49.34

$3.10 ฿102

-6.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.08 ฿35.56

178.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.16 MX$274

$3.87 ฿128

317.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.43 ฿47.16

7.69%

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

$22.6K MX$383.6K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-18.62%

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

$26.1K MX$442.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-3.38%

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

$23.17 MX$393

$105 ฿3,462

-77.89%

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

$44.43 MX$754

$11.39 ฿376

290.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 MX$1,042

$17.54 ฿580

250.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,096

$54.3 ฿1,795

18.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.34 MX$633

$11.44 ฿378

226.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 MX$118

$7.78 ฿257

-10.41%

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

$199 MX$3,379

$576 ฿19.0K

-65.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 MX$70.4K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-64.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 MX$1,019

$63.6 ฿2,103

-5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 MX$1,186

$29.10 ฿961

140.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,834

$96.2 ฿3,179

12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,170

$90.0 ฿2,974

42.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 MX$9,583

$733 ฿24.2K

-22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MX$6,553

$501 ฿16.5K

-22.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MX$14.2K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-60.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 MX$12.5K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-41.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 MX$9,783

$508 ฿16.8K

13.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.57

108.26%

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

Last update for Leon: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Leon versus $733 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 14% higher in Leon, 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 $58.0 in Leon versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $275 – making Phuket 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

Leon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leon costs about 4% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,965 per month in Leon and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in Leon, 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 $58.0 in Leon and $32.00 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Leon at $1,310. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,310 in Leon. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.