Cost of Living Comparison Between Luquillo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Luquillo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,320 in Luquillo versus $1,190 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,086 in Luquillo versus $2,006 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,852 in Luquillo versus $2,822 in Phuket.

Living in Luquillo is roughly 11% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luquillo 1% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 $18.65

$4.35 ฿146

328.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$32.45 ฿1,090

163.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 $8.92

$8.42 ฿283

5.94%

Cappuccino

$3.75 $3.75

$2.81 ฿94.2

33.45%

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

$1.64 $1.64

$0.87 ฿29.38

88.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.46 ฿15.44

215.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.59 ฿86.8

16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.64 ฿122

-37.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.71 ฿57.3

34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.45 ฿48.56

119.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.56 ฿52.4

53.85%

Eggs

$7.52 $7.52

$2.10 ฿70.5

258.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$19.53 ฿656

-36.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$3.40 ฿114

152.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$11.14 ฿374

20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.83 ฿95.1

79.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.62 ฿54.5

59.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.22 ฿74.7

114.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.15 ฿72.1

111.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.49 ฿50.1

156.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.33 ฿44.53

99.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.07 ฿35.82

33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.51 ฿17.06

223.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 $11.86

$4.38 ฿147

170.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 $12.07

$18.77 ฿630

-35.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.74 ฿58.5

73.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.78 ฿93.2

42.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 $59.7

$22.28 ฿748

168.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.02 ฿101

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.06 ฿35.53

43.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$3.71 ฿125

1012.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.43 ฿48.03

-41.96%

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

$40.2K $40.2K

$26.3K ฿884.7K

52.47%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.2K ฿879.9K

6.23%

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

$247 $247

$96.7 ฿3,246

155.06%

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

$68.9 $68.9

$11.41 ฿383

503.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$17.11 ฿574

307.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.51 $37.51

$52.8 ฿1,773

-28.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 $10.31

$7.65 ฿257

34.77%

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

$810 $810

$555 ฿18.6K

46.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$11.3K ฿378.8K

9.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$63.4 ฿2,130

-12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 $61.3

$28.61 ฿961

114.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$96.7 ฿3,248

-16.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$88.6 ฿2,975

28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$735 ฿24.7K

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,012 $3,012

$501 ฿16.8K

501.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

5.57

-15.08%

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

Last update for Luquillo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Luquillo and $735 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 501% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86.0 in Luquillo vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $268 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Luquillo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 501% higher in Luquillo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $798 in Luquillo versus $735 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,320 per month in Luquillo versus $1,190 in Phuket – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 168% less than in Luquillo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,320 in Luquillo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Luquillo. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Luquillo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Luquillo 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Luquillo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.