Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $723 per month in Merida vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,220 per month in Merida vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,717 per month in Merida vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Merida is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Merida and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Merida 46% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 VES 5,669

$4.70 ฿153

116.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 VES 25.5K

$45.37 ฿1,482

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 VES 5,646

$8.43 ฿275

20.17%

Cappuccino

$1.56 VES 868

$2.93 ฿95.6

-46.76%

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

$1.14 VES 633

$0.69 ฿22.40

65.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 VES 461

$0.37 ฿11.99

124.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 VES 653

$2.41 ฿78.6

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 VES 830

$3.72 ฿122

-59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 VES 1,188

$2.23 ฿72.9

-4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 VES 1,405

$1.83 ฿59.8

37.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 VES 891

$2.17 ฿70.8

-26.27%

Eggs

$2.03 VES 1,132

$2.21 ฿72.3

-8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 VES 3,113

$19.74 ฿645

-71.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 VES 3,506

$3.63 ฿119

73.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 VES 4,058

$13.53 ฿442

-46.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 VES 2,753

$3.28 ฿107

50.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 VES 595

$1.61 ฿52.6

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 VES 922

$2.41 ฿78.6

-31.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 VES 579

$2.08 ฿68.1

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 546

$1.53 ฿49.93

-35.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 VES 659

$1.48 ฿48.36

-20.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 VES 693

$0.99 ฿32.29

25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 VES 1,008

$0.51 ฿16.67

254.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 VES 2,288

$4.41 ฿144

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 VES 6,107

$19.38 ฿633

-43.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 VES 656

$1.78 ฿58.1

-33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 VES 771

$2.71 ฿88.6

-49.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 162

$1.37 ฿44.79

-78.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 VES 2,259

$3.02 ฿98.6

34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 VES 1,379

$0.99 ฿32.48

149.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 285

$1.36 ฿44.51

-62.50%

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

$44.3K VES 24.7M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

56.92%

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

$37.2K VES 20.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

13.20%

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

$13.38 VES 7,454

$122 ฿3,975

-89.01%

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

$9.94 VES 5,537

$13.57 ฿443

-26.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 VES 20.6K

$18.31 ฿598

101.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.15 VES 14.0K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-58.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 VES 8,399

$17.14 ฿560

-12.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 VES 3,876

$8.69 ฿284

-19.91%

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

$58.1 VES 32.4K

$693 ฿22.6K

-91.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 VES 50.4K

$59.5 ฿1,944

52.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 VES 22.0K

$34.77 ฿1,136

13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 VES 47.3K

$115 ฿3,743

-25.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 VES 36.2K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 VES 65.9K

$613 ฿20.0K

-80.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.2 VES 49.7K

$437 ฿14.3K

-79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 VES 115.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-90.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 VES 106.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-87.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,155 VES 643.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-69.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 VES 662.7K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-54.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$286 VES 159.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

-43.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Merida: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Merida versus $613 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 78% higher in Phuket, 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 Merida versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Merida vs $293 in Phuket – so Merida 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

Merida vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 75% more than Merida, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,084 per month in Merida and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $723 in Merida and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $58.1 per month in Merida and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Merida costs $723 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Merida. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.