🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,628 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Oaxaca de Juarez costs roughly 16% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Oaxaca de Juarez21% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.72MX$99.1
$4.70฿154
21.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.95MX$467
$45.37฿1,483
-40.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75MX$134
$8.43฿276
-8.07%
Cappuccino
$2.56MX$44.44
$2.93฿95.7
-12.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19MX$20.61
$0.69฿22.42
72.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70MX$12.11
$0.37฿12.00
89.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.28MX$39.43
$2.41฿78.7
-5.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46MX$60.0
$3.72฿122
-6.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28MX$22.20
$2.23฿73.0
-42.60%
White Bread(500g)
$2.65MX$45.85
$1.83฿59.9
44.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.08MX$18.63
$2.17฿70.9
-50.23%
Eggs
$1.59MX$27.49
$2.21฿72.4
-28.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.16MX$107
$19.74฿645
-68.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.67MX$80.9
$3.63฿119
28.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.17MX$194
$13.53฿442
-17.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.13MX$36.98
$3.28฿107
-35.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18MX$20.44
$1.61฿52.7
-26.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.72MX$29.82
$2.41฿78.7
-28.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.55MX$9.52
$2.08฿68.1
-73.56%
Potato(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.69
$1.53฿49.97
41.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89MX$32.77
$1.48฿48.41
27.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$18.00
$0.99฿32.32
5.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78MX$13.46
$0.51฿16.68
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.04MX$70.0
$4.41฿144
-8.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.97MX$173
$19.38฿634
-48.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29MX$22.43
$1.78฿58.1
-27.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80MX$48.48
$2.71฿88.7
3.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$1.37฿44.83
-60.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.56MX$44.40
$3.02฿98.7
-15.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.48MX$43.01
$0.99฿32.51
150.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.75MX$186
$14.10฿461
-23.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29MX$22.37
$1.36฿44.55
-5.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.6KMX$391.2K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-19.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0KMX$415.9K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-27.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.1MX$1,163
$122฿3,978
-44.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.67MX$185
$13.57฿444
-21.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.09MX$417
$18.31฿599
31.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.95MX$554
$60.2฿1,969
-46.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.89MX$275
$17.14฿560
-7.29%
Cinema Ticket
$5.37MX$93.0
$8.69฿284
-38.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$369MX$6,389
$693฿22.7K
-46.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,543MX$61.4K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-77.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.20MX$662
$59.5฿1,946
-35.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.7MX$1,017
$34.77฿1,137
68.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.1MX$1,162
$115฿3,746
-41.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.0MX$1,716
$83.3฿2,723
18.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$595MX$10.3K
$613฿20.0K
-3.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$418MX$7,236
$437฿14.3K
-4.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,050MX$18.2K
$2,094฿68.5K
-49.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$846MX$14.7K
$1,509฿49.3K
-43.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oaxaca de Juarez
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.25
5.33
111.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $293 per month, with Oaxaca de Juarez cheaper across the board.
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
Oaxaca de Juarez vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oaxaca de Juarez or Phuket?
Oaxaca de Juarez wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oaxaca de Juarez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Oaxaca de Juarez vs Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,590 in Oaxaca de Juarez and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oaxaca de Juarez vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Oaxaca de Juarez or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Oaxaca de Juarez compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,060 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Oaxaca de Juarez or Phuket?
At $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oaxaca de Juarez but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Oaxaca de Juarez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oaxaca de Juarez or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oaxaca de Juarez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,060 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oaxaca de Juarez hard to pass up.
How safe is Oaxaca de Juarez compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Oaxaca de Juarez and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oaxaca de Juarez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Oaxaca de Juarez vs other spots: cost of living compared