Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $646 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Lucena
Learn more

Lucena Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Lucena

🇵🇭 Philippines

$646

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lucena and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lucena and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $646 per month in Lucena vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Lucena $646
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Lucena vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Lucena $1,041
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $1,436 per month in Lucena vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Lucena $1,436
Phuket $2,867

Lucena is about 47% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lucena and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Lucena 52% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 ₱94.4

$4.58 ฿153

-67.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.91 ₱1,191

$32.48 ฿1,086

-41.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.72 ₱108

$8.55 ฿286

-79.88%

Cappuccino

$1.32 ₱83.2

$2.72 ฿91.0

-51.47%

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

$0.33 ₱20.88

$0.94 ฿31.25

-64.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.26

$0.49 ฿16.39

-40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.7

$2.59 ฿86.6

-46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.9

$3.83 ฿128

-66.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱105

$1.74 ฿58.1

-4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$1.43 ฿47.82

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$1.53 ฿51.0

-39.87%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$2.17 ฿72.7

-19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₱429

$19.15 ฿640

-64.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱265

$3.30 ฿110

27.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 ₱449

$11.14 ฿372

-36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$2.95 ฿98.5

36.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.0

$1.68 ฿56.1

-18.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱225

$2.30 ฿76.8

55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$2.13 ฿71.3

-45.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱143

$1.53 ฿51.1

48.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.36 ฿45.55

142.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₱89.6

$1.12 ฿37.44

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$0.55 ฿18.24

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱173

$4.26 ฿142

-35.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₱487

$18.19 ฿608

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.6

$1.74 ฿58.2

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱111

$2.79 ฿93.3

-36.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$2.22 ฿74.1

-89.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.08 ₱761

$22.06 ฿737

-45.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$2.91 ฿97.3

-72.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$1.01 ฿33.79

-79.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₱160

$3.83 ฿128

-33.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$1.49 ฿49.85

-17.45%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-20.16%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-29.76%

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

$47.89 ₱3,015

$99.4 ฿3,321

-51.81%

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

$6.37 ₱401

$11.28 ฿377

-43.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.06 ₱696

$17.36 ฿580

-36.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.15 ₱2,150

$52.3 ฿1,747

-34.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ₱253

$10.85 ฿362

-62.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 ₱465

$7.57 ฿253

-2.51%

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

$71.9 ₱4,529

$558 ฿18.7K

-87.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 ₱158.3K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-78.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.78 ₱2,253

$62.9 ฿2,102

-43.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 ₱1,428

$28.58 ฿955

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₱5,020

$96.1 ฿3,213

-17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ₱4,683

$88.1 ฿2,943

-15.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.5K

$729 ฿24.4K

-64.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$460 ฿15.4K

-63.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₱32.5K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-75.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-70.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-34.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 ₱58.0K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-63.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 ₱20.2K

$493 ฿16.5K

-35.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for Lucena: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Lucena

$206 31.9%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 29.8% $61

Accommodation & Living

Lucena

$170 26.3%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 171% $290

Clothing & Footwear

Lucena

$96 14.8%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 29.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lucena

$65 10.1%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 96% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Lucena

$49 7.6%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 37.8% $19

Eating Out

Lucena

$45 7%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 170% $76

Getting Around

Lucena

$15 2.3%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 161% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Lucena versus $729 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 54% 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 $19.00 in Lucena versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $268 – making Lucena the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lucena

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

05:26 5:26 AM

04:26 4:26 AM

1 h behind Lucena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

278,924

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lucena Phuket 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lucena
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lucena vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $646 in Lucena, $1,207 in Phuket – roughly 87% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $968 per month in Lucena and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $71.9 per month in Lucena and $558 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 Lucena, where all-in costs run around $646, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Lucena 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 $646 in Lucena to $1,207 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 Lucena. 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.