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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $809 per month in Merida vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,428 per month in Merida vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,047 per month in Merida vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Merida is about 34% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Merida and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Merida 41% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 VES 10.0K

$4.41 ฿147

169.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 VES 51.0K

$32.26 ฿1,077

87.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 VES 9,169

$8.93 ฿298

21.61%

Cappuccino

$2.56 VES 2,165

$2.90 ฿96.6

-11.72%

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

$2.11 VES 1,782

$0.88 ฿29.38

139.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 VES 1,108

$0.48 ฿16.06

172.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 VES 1,658

$2.35 ฿78.5

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 VES 2,571

$3.72 ฿124

-18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 VES 1,673

$1.87 ฿62.3

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 VES 2,758

$1.47 ฿48.94

122.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 VES 1,638

$1.55 ฿51.8

25.16%

Eggs

$2.47 VES 2,085

$2.10 ฿70.1

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 VES 5,539

$19.59 ฿654

-66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 VES 6,452

$3.42 ฿114

123.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 VES 6,178

$11.38 ฿380

-35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 VES 4,285

$2.98 ฿99.6

70.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 VES 1,237

$1.68 ฿56.2

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 VES 2,452

$2.21 ฿73.7

31.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,909

$2.16 ฿72.1

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 VES 1,683

$1.52 ฿50.9

30.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,141

$1.34 ฿44.67

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 VES 1,269

$1.13 ฿37.67

32.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 VES 2,179

$0.55 ฿18.24

369.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 VES 3,220

$4.26 ฿142

-10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 VES 9,339

$19.09 ฿637

-42.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 VES 1,171

$1.78 ฿59.4

-21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 VES 1,781

$2.78 ฿92.9

-24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 245

$2.23 ฿74.4

-87.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 3,472

$3.03 ฿101

35.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 VES 1,297

$1.02 ฿34.15

50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 VES 4,916

$3.89 ฿130

49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 VES 640

$1.49 ฿49.77

-48.99%

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

$44.4K VES 37.5M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

67.03%

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

$50.3K VES 42.5M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

86.04%

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

$12.69 VES 10.7K

$102 ฿3,420

-87.62%

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

$10.46 VES 8,831

$11.33 ฿378

-7.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 VES 25.4K

$17.40 ฿581

72.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 VES 25.2K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-42.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 VES 12.7K

$11.07 ฿370

35.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 VES 4,207

$7.69 ฿257

-35.24%

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

$89.2 VES 75.3K

$561 ฿18.7K

-84.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 VES 2.0M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-79.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 VES 60.8K

$63.0 ฿2,104

14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 VES 34.8K

$29.52 ฿986

39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 VES 83.1K

$98.0 ฿3,272

0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 VES 82.9K

$88.5 ฿2,954

10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 VES 111.8K

$738 ฿24.6K

-82.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 VES 77.4K

$482 ฿16.1K

-81.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 VES 189.6K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-89.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 VES 158.5K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-84.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 VES 1.0M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-67.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 VES 1.0M

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-53.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 VES 240.6K

$494 ฿16.5K

-42.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

348.83%

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

Last update for Merida: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Merida 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 73% 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 $60.0 in Merida versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $274 – making Phuket 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

Merida vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 52% more than Merida, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,214 per month in Merida 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 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 $809 in Merida and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $89.2 per month in Merida and $561 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 $809, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $809 versus $1,232 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.