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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,530 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,277 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,108 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,794 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,940 in Phuket, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 20% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 13% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 MX$203

$4.62 ฿153

157.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.20 MX$840

$34.40 ฿1,138

43.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MX$152

$8.56 ฿283

3.74%

Cappuccino

$3.77 MX$64.4

$2.97 ฿98.4

26.94%

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

$1.53 MX$26.18

$0.82 ฿27.10

86.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.57

$0.44 ฿14.55

161.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MX$37.95

$2.46 ฿81.3

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MX$49.04

$3.78 ฿125

-24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.99

$1.86 ฿61.7

-8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$47.29

$1.47 ฿48.64

88.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MX$24.97

$1.56 ฿51.6

-6.41%

Eggs

$2.95 MX$50.3

$2.20 ฿72.7

34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$19.59 ฿648

-54.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MX$126

$3.50 ฿116

110.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 MX$143

$11.23 ฿372

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.29

$2.93 ฿97.2

-1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.69

$1.72 ฿56.9

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.35

$2.27 ฿75.1

-21.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MX$8.64

$2.12 ฿70.2

-75.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.07

$1.54 ฿50.8

10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 MX$24.39

$1.40 ฿46.24

2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 MX$28.55

$1.10 ฿36.36

51.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.2

$4.47 ฿148

-4.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 MX$285

$18.89 ฿625

-11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 MX$37.98

$1.88 ฿62.2

18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MX$58.5

$2.84 ฿94.0

20.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MX$13.55

$2.33 ฿77.3

-66.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.18 MX$737

$23.38 ฿774

84.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 MX$65.7

$2.94 ฿97.4

30.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 MX$43.61

$1.03 ฿34.17

147.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$25.75

$1.45 ฿47.97

4.14%

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

$22.8K MX$389.7K

$26.8K ฿888.5K

-14.96%

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

$25.8K MX$440.9K

$27.4K ฿906.1K

-5.66%

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

$61.9 MX$1,057

$105 ฿3,477

-41.04%

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

$50.2 MX$857

$11.01 ฿364

355.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.64 MX$779

$17.81 ฿590

156.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.53 MX$794

$53.6 ฿1,775

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 MX$78.4

$7.80 ฿258

-41.15%

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

$94.8 MX$1,619

$565 ฿18.7K

-83.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,137 MX$36.5K

$11.5K ฿379.7K

-81.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 MX$1,155

$63.1 ฿2,090

7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.74 MX$491

$29.09 ฿963

-1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MX$2,052

$99.2 ฿3,285

21.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 MX$1,500

$91.2 ฿3,017

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MX$14.3K

$738 ฿24.4K

13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 MX$11.2K

$500 ฿16.5K

31.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 MX$22.6K

$2,093 ฿69.3K

-36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 MX$14.7K

$1,249 ฿41.3K

-31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 MX$28.2K

$3,530 ฿116.9K

-53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MX$18.6K

$2,542 ฿84.1K

-57.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 MX$9,552

$512 ฿16.9K

9.34%

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 Mazatlan: August 10, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $837 in Mazatlan versus $738 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 9% 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 $49.00 in Mazatlan versus $34.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Mazatlan vs $274 in Phuket – so Mazatlan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,530 in Mazatlan, $1,277 in Phuket – roughly 20% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,296 per month in Mazatlan and $1,915 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 85% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.8 per month in Mazatlan and $565 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 $1,277, than in Mazatlan at $1,530. 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 $1,277 in Phuket to $1,530 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.