Cost of Living Comparison Between Olongapo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Olongapo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Olongapo versus $1,190 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Olongapo versus $2,006 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,424 in Olongapo versus $2,822 in Phuket.

Living in Olongapo costs roughly 41% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Olongapo 47% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ₱252

$4.35 ฿146

-7.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.08 ₱1,071

$32.45 ฿1,090

-47.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.86 ₱179

$8.42 ฿283

-66.03%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₱116

$2.81 ฿94.2

-34.16%

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

$0.60 ₱37.78

$0.87 ฿29.38

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.67

$0.46 ฿15.44

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.59 ฿86.8

-61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₱92.8

$3.64 ฿122

-59.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱106

$1.71 ฿57.3

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₱24.28

$1.45 ฿48.56

-73.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₱51.2

$1.56 ฿52.4

-47.44%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$2.10 ฿70.5

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.21 ₱327

$19.53 ฿656

-73.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ₱159

$3.40 ฿114

-25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 ₱508

$11.14 ฿374

-27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ₱139

$2.83 ฿95.1

-21.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$1.62 ฿54.5

-43.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 ₱152

$2.22 ฿74.7

9.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$2.15 ฿72.1

-49.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$1.49 ฿50.1

16.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.33 ฿44.53

35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱39.14

$1.07 ฿35.82

-42.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱25.90

$0.51 ฿17.06

-19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$4.38 ฿147

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 ₱559

$18.77 ฿630

-52.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.0

$1.74 ฿58.5

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

$2.78 ฿93.2

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.02

$2.17 ฿72.8

-87.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.04 ₱693

$22.28 ฿748

-50.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.30

$3.02 ฿101

-74.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.40

$1.06 ฿35.53

-78.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ₱124

$3.71 ฿125

-46.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.8

$1.43 ฿48.03

-23.08%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$26.3K ฿884.7K

-18.65%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$26.2K ฿879.9K

-26.82%

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

$129 ₱8,088

$96.7 ฿3,246

33.41%

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

$17.64 ₱1,106

$11.41 ฿383

54.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.07 ₱1,447

$17.11 ฿574

34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 ₱2,079

$52.8 ฿1,773

-37.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.63 ₱290

$11.07 ฿372

-58.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₱270

$7.65 ฿257

-43.66%

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

$78.8 ₱4,945

$555 ฿18.6K

-85.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱676.9K

$11.3K ฿378.8K

-4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,813

$63.4 ฿2,130

-54.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 ₱1,213

$28.61 ฿961

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 ₱4,588

$96.7 ฿3,248

-24.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 ₱3,528

$88.6 ฿2,975

-36.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱17.1K

$735 ฿24.7K

-62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.3K

$458 ฿15.4K

-60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.7K

$2,102 ฿70.6K

-87.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₱22.7K

$1,187 ฿39.9K

-69.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,469 ₱154.9K

$3,493 ฿117.3K

-29.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 ₱63.3K

$2,491 ฿83.7K

-59.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 ₱8,578

$501 ฿16.8K

-72.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Olongapo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Olongapo and $735 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 266% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Olongapo vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $268 per month, with Olongapo 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

Olongapo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olongapo wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olongapo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 266% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Olongapo versus $735 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $78.8 in Olongapo versus $555 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $706 in Olongapo versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Olongapo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Olongapo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Olongapo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $706 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olongapo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Olongapo 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.

Expats usually find Olongapo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.