Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,242 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Manzanillo versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,837 in Manzanillo versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Manzanillo costs roughly 4% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manzanillo 12% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$4.60 ฿153

149.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MX$605

$34.86 ฿1,158

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$197

$8.57 ฿285

33.49%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.4

$2.82 ฿93.6

28.37%

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

$1.35 MX$23.35

$0.78 ฿25.85

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.70

$0.48 ฿15.81

162.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.22

$2.42 ฿80.5

8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MX$97.3

$3.71 ฿123

52.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.48

$1.79 ฿59.4

-20.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 MX$46.61

$1.41 ฿46.69

91.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.95

$1.60 ฿53.0

-9.38%

Eggs

$2.13 MX$36.75

$2.20 ฿73.2

-3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$123

$19.64 ฿653

-63.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$102

$3.50 ฿116

68.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 MX$177

$11.24 ฿374

-8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.50

$2.86 ฿95.1

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.07

$1.68 ฿55.9

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.66

$2.31 ฿76.7

-30.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.31

$2.10 ฿69.7

-16.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.21

$1.48 ฿49.10

81.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 MX$52.9

$1.35 ฿44.71

127.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.07 ฿35.72

111.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MX$25.01

$0.58 ฿19.15

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 MX$103

$4.31 ฿143

38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$122

$18.67 ฿621

-62.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$41.26

$1.79 ฿59.4

33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.61

$2.77 ฿92.1

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.91

$2.19 ฿72.6

-63.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿763

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.31

$3.03 ฿101

-15.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MX$46.23

$1.02 ฿33.85

162.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$3.91 ฿130

199.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.94

$1.43 ฿47.45

9.09%

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

$22.5K MX$388.0K

$27.2K ฿904.2K

-17.37%

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

$25.0K MX$431.7K

$26.9K ฿893.1K

-6.91%

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

$70.4 MX$1,215

$102 ฿3,396

-31.11%

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

$22.90 MX$395

$10.95 ฿364

109.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 MX$464

$17.06 ฿567

57.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 MX$1,183

$53.2 ฿1,768

28.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 MX$598

$11.11 ฿369

211.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.0

$7.82 ฿260

-45.14%

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

$201 MX$3,476

$552 ฿18.3K

-63.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿379.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 MX$811

$62.4 ฿2,072

-24.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 MX$528

$28.98 ฿963

5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,442

$97.6 ฿3,244

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MX$2,447

$88.3 ฿2,935

60.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$746 ฿24.8K

-6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,959

$480 ฿16.0K

-16.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿118.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 MX$7,060

$509 ฿16.9K

-19.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.57

102.87%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $701 in Manzanillo and $746 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 24% 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: $35.00 in Manzanillo vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $272 per month, with Manzanillo 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

Manzanillo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzanillo and Phuket differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $1,242 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $701 in Manzanillo versus $746 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 $1,192 per month in Manzanillo versus $1,242 in Phuket – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,242 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo 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, Manzanillo 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 Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.