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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $728 per month in Merida vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,239 per month in Merida vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,750 per month in Merida vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Merida is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Merida and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Merida 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 VES 7,285

$4.55 ฿153

117.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 VES 32.8K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 VES 7,217

$8.84 ฿298

11.09%

Cappuccino

$1.57 VES 1,155

$3.06 ฿103

-48.69%

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

$1.15 VES 844

$0.73 ฿24.42

57.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 VES 597

$0.40 ฿13.40

102.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 VES 837

$2.43 ฿81.8

-53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 VES 1,089

$3.78 ฿127

-60.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 VES 1,549

$2.26 ฿76.0

-6.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 VES 1,777

$1.81 ฿60.9

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 VES 1,215

$2.25 ฿75.8

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.10 VES 1,547

$2.25 ฿75.6

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.51 VES 4,054

$19.51 ฿656

-71.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 VES 4,737

$3.65 ฿123

76.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 VES 5,405

$13.05 ฿439

-43.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 VES 3,642

$3.23 ฿109

53.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 VES 785

$1.62 ฿54.4

-33.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 VES 1,262

$2.38 ฿80.2

-27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 VES 765

$2.03 ฿68.2

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 VES 667

$1.53 ฿51.6

-40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 VES 871

$1.50 ฿50.5

-20.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 VES 935

$0.98 ฿32.93

29.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 VES 1,331

$0.52 ฿17.40

248.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 VES 3,016

$4.44 ฿149

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 VES 8,044

$18.32 ฿616

-40.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.86 ฿62.7

-37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 VES 1,007

$2.68 ฿90.2

-48.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 VES 197

$1.41 ฿47.49

-80.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 VES 2,888

$3.11 ฿105

26.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 VES 1,800

$1.04 ฿35.08

135.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 353

$1.31 ฿44.13

-63.36%

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

$45.4K VES 33.4M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

63.22%

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

$37.5K VES 27.6M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

12.88%

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

$13.23 VES 9,726

$122 ฿4,120

-89.19%

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

$10.11 VES 7,428

$13.59 ฿457

-25.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.46 VES 27.5K

$18.70 ฿629

100.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.06 VES 18.4K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-58.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.86 VES 10.9K

$16.98 ฿572

-12.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 VES 5,285

$9.07 ฿305

-20.73%

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

$57.7 VES 42.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-91.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 VES 65.7K

$58.6 ฿1,970

52.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 VES 28.9K

$35.36 ฿1,190

11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 VES 63.0K

$115 ฿3,885

-25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 VES 47.0K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 VES 84.3K

$626 ฿21.1K

-81.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.0 VES 65.4K

$445 ฿15.0K

-80.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 153.3K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-89.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 VES 140.5K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-87.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 VES 861.1K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-66.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 VES 898.7K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-52.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 VES 213.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

-41.98%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Merida versus $626 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 72% 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 $45.00 in Merida versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $289 – making Merida 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 72% 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 $1,092 per month in Merida and $1,875 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 $728 in Merida and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $57.7 per month in Merida and $706 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 $728, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $728 versus $1,250 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.