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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 29% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 21% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 MX$181

$4.56 ฿149

131.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.84 MX$787

$46.63 ฿1,519

-1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.47 ฿276

-0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.36 MX$57.7

$3.03 ฿98.6

10.89%

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

$1.39 MX$23.83

$0.69 ฿22.45

101.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.89

$0.37 ฿11.92

181.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MX$34.96

$2.49 ฿81.0

-18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 MX$44.43

$3.66 ฿119

-29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.46

$2.18 ฿71.0

-32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.30

$1.90 ฿62.0

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.94

$2.20 ฿71.6

-2.27%

Eggs

$2.28 MX$39.13

$2.22 ฿72.4

2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 MX$135

$19.99 ฿651

-60.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 MX$113

$3.66 ฿119

79.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 MX$129

$13.25 ฿432

-43.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$44.64

$3.23 ฿105

-19.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.98

$1.70 ฿55.3

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.49

$2.39 ฿78.0

-25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MX$13.41

$2.08 ฿67.7

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.99

$1.59 ฿51.8

35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.43

$1.48 ฿48.31

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$1.03 ฿33.54

22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.55

$0.52 ฿16.83

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$68.5

$4.25 ฿138

-6.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 MX$281

$18.79 ฿612

-12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.51

$1.76 ฿57.2

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 MX$50.7

$2.76 ฿89.8

6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.29

$1.36 ฿44.32

-51.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.00 MX$669

$11.36 ฿370

243.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 MX$58.2

$3.14 ฿102

7.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$31.38

$1.04 ฿33.74

75.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 MX$141

$13.77 ฿448

-40.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.82

$1.34 ฿43.79

-5.22%

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

$21.0K MX$360.6K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-24.10%

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

$22.3K MX$383.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-34.02%

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

$54.9 MX$942

$124 ฿4,025

-55.57%

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

$20.85 MX$358

$13.52 ฿440

54.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 MX$704

$18.69 ฿609

119.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 MX$723

$61.8 ฿2,013

-31.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MX$268

$17.25 ฿562

-9.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MX$66.5

$9.14 ฿298

-57.66%

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

$85.4 MX$1,466

$703 ฿22.9K

-87.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,908 MX$32.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-87.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 MX$1,073

$59.5 ฿1,937

5.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.08 MX$448

$35.07 ฿1,142

-25.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,784

$115 ฿3,754

-9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MX$1,347

$84.1 ฿2,737

-6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 MX$15.4K

$619 ฿20.1K

45.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 MX$14.8K

$433 ฿14.1K

99.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 MX$23.8K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-32.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 MX$18.9K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-27.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,655 MX$28.4K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-54.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 MX$19.0K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-57.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MX$9,406

$507 ฿16.5K

8.09%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $897 in Mazatlan versus $619 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 8% 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 $46.00 in Mazatlan versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $293 – 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: $1,621 in Mazatlan, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 29% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Mazatlan and $1,892 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 243% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $85.4 per month in Mazatlan and $703 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 $1,261, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $1,621 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.