Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,635 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,882 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 33% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$182

$4.63 ฿151

126.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 MX$790

$46.84 ฿1,523

-3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$147

$8.84 ฿287

-4.52%

Cappuccino

$3.39 MX$59.0

$3.00 ฿97.4

13.00%

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

$1.38 MX$24.03

$0.74 ฿24.11

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.92

$0.37 ฿11.88

178.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MX$34.67

$2.44 ฿79.3

-18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.64

$3.61 ฿117

-28.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.50

$2.26 ฿73.5

-34.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.41

$1.84 ฿59.8

38.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$2.24 ฿73.0

-6.70%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.36

$2.32 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$134

$19.67 ฿639

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 MX$113

$3.65 ฿119

78.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 MX$128

$13.10 ฿426

-43.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$46.85

$3.39 ฿110

-20.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.16

$1.64 ฿53.4

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.84

$2.41 ฿78.5

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MX$12.92

$2.03 ฿66.0

-63.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.93

$1.56 ฿50.6

39.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.30

$1.50 ฿48.66

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.02 ฿33.30

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.49 ฿15.91

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.8

$4.45 ฿145

-8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.08 MX$280

$18.88 ฿614

-14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.69

$1.78 ฿57.7

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.3

$2.75 ฿89.5

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.51

$1.40 ฿45.54

-52.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 MX$686

$11.48 ฿373

243.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 MX$58.2

$3.12 ฿101

7.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.00 ฿32.48

83.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 MX$142

$14.09 ฿458

-42.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.62

$1.35 ฿43.93

-3.70%

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

$21.3K MX$370.2K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-21.72%

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

$22.3K MX$388.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.15%

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

$56.0 MX$974

$125 ฿4,063

-55.20%

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

$21.20 MX$369

$13.57 ฿441

56.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 MX$721

$18.52 ฿602

123.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 MX$744

$61.5 ฿1,999

-30.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$278

$16.84 ฿547

-4.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MX$70.5

$9.19 ฿299

-55.93%

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

$83.3 MX$1,449

$698 ฿22.7K

-88.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 MX$33.0K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-87.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MX$1,053

$57.8 ฿1,878

4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 MX$453

$35.24 ฿1,146

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$113 ฿3,677

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,357

$86.4 ฿2,808

-9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MX$15.1K

$616 ฿20.0K

41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 MX$15.2K

$446 ฿14.5K

96.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 MX$24.4K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-31.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 MX$18.7K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-27.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 MX$28.4K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MX$18.9K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-58.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MX$9,586

$524 ฿17.0K

5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

5.33

112.57%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Mazatlan versus $616 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 5% higher in Mazatlan, 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 $45.00 in Mazatlan versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $292 – making Mazatlan 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

Mazatlan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,635 in Mazatlan, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 33% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,452 per month in Mazatlan and $1,847 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.

Public transport costs about 244% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $83.3 per month in Mazatlan and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,635 in Mazatlan. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.