Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $654 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,461 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Nueva Ecija is about 47% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nueva Ecija and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nueva Ecija 51% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ₱277

$4.63 ฿151

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.50 ₱2,172

$46.84 ฿1,523

-24.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 ₱204

$8.84 ฿287

-62.33%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₱82.7

$3.00 ฿97.4

-55.00%

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

$0.80 ₱48.73

$0.74 ฿24.11

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.14

$0.37 ฿11.88

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₱57.0

$2.44 ฿79.3

-61.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₱135

$3.61 ฿117

-38.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 ₱182

$2.26 ฿73.5

31.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₱61.0

$1.84 ฿59.8

-45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱61.1

$2.24 ฿73.0

-55.36%

Eggs

$1.78 ₱109

$2.32 ฿75.3

-23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₱480

$19.67 ฿639

-60.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ₱226

$3.65 ฿119

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 ₱396

$13.10 ฿426

-50.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 ₱259

$3.39 ฿110

24.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₱47.69

$1.64 ฿53.4

-52.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₱116

$2.41 ฿78.5

-21.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱109

$2.03 ฿66.0

-11.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱106

$1.56 ฿50.6

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱134

$1.50 ฿48.66

46.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 ₱143

$1.02 ฿33.30

128.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱31.26

$0.49 ฿15.91

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 ₱154

$4.45 ฿145

-43.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 ₱273

$18.88 ฿614

-76.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₱83.0

$1.78 ฿57.7

-23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₱156

$2.75 ฿89.5

-7.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₱19.86

$1.40 ฿45.54

-77.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.23 ₱381

$11.48 ฿373

-45.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.83

$3.12 ฿101

-74.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.43

$1.00 ฿32.48

-78.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₱71.8

$14.09 ฿458

-91.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 ₱62.1

$1.35 ฿43.93

-25.19%

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

$17.6K ₱1.1M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-35.20%

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

$23.6K ₱1.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-28.44%

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

$87.6 ₱5,357

$125 ฿4,063

-29.95%

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

$32.35 ₱1,979

$13.57 ฿441

138.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ₱1,237

$18.52 ฿602

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 ₱2,049

$61.5 ฿1,999

-45.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱272

$16.84 ฿547

-73.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 ₱309

$9.19 ฿299

-45.16%

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

$154 ₱9,426

$698 ฿22.7K

-77.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,301 ₱263.1K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-72.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 ₱2,795

$57.8 ฿1,878

-20.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 ₱2,100

$35.24 ฿1,146

-2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 ₱4,157

$113 ฿3,677

-39.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₱6,996

$86.4 ฿2,808

32.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,739

$616 ฿20.0K

-79.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.6 ₱4,565

$446 ฿14.5K

-83.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.1K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-90.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,702

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-90.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 ₱143.4K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-37.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 ₱12.0K

$524 ฿17.0K

-62.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

5.33

15.76%

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

Last update for Nueva Ecija: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Nueva Ecija versus $616 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 167% 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 $35.00 in Nueva Ecija versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $292 – making Nueva Ecija 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

Nueva Ecija vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 88% more than Nueva Ecija, 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 $981 per month in Nueva Ecija 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 Nueva Ecija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nueva Ecija and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $654 in Nueva Ecija and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nueva Ecija costs $654 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 Nueva Ecija. 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.