Cost of Living Comparison Between Pagadian and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pagadian and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $730 in Pagadian versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Pagadian versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Pagadian versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Pagadian costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pagadian 47% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 ₱239

$4.56 ฿150

-16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.08 ₱1,068

$32.62 ฿1,073

-47.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.85 ₱178

$8.90 ฿293

-67.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ₱122

$2.80 ฿92.2

-30.36%

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

$0.82 ₱51.3

$0.88 ฿28.94

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₱14.27

$0.49 ฿16.08

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ₱91.1

$2.39 ฿78.5

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₱120

$3.71 ฿122

-48.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ₱107

$1.79 ฿58.8

-4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱75.4

$1.44 ฿47.40

-15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ₱56.0

$1.58 ฿52.1

-43.04%

Eggs

$1.85 ₱116

$2.13 ฿69.9

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.73 ₱296

$19.92 ฿655

-76.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱260

$3.43 ฿113

21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 ₱428

$11.33 ฿372

-39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ₱156

$2.95 ฿97.0

-15.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.8

$1.72 ฿56.6

-15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 ₱151

$2.32 ฿76.5

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.4

$2.08 ฿68.4

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.47 ฿48.34

55.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$1.36 ฿44.65

63.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ₱49.75

$1.10 ฿36.13

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.57 ฿18.89

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱184

$4.27 ฿140

-31.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 ₱498

$18.42 ฿606

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

$1.87 ฿61.5

-48.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$2.92 ฿96.1

-31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.56

$2.22 ฿73.0

-88.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.31 ₱707

$22.90 ฿753

-50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₱42.95

$3.03 ฿99.6

-77.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.40

$1.07 ฿35.32

-78.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱120

$3.93 ฿129

-50.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₱65.4

$1.49 ฿49.06

-29.53%

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

$24.6K ₱1.5M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-9.27%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-24.90%

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

$124 ₱7,751

$103 ฿3,380

20.56%

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

$16.40 ₱1,026

$10.99 ฿361

49.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.48 ₱1,656

$17.51 ฿576

51.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.92 ₱1,996

$53.5 ฿1,760

-40.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.80 ₱300

$11.20 ฿368

-57.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱338

$7.48 ฿246

-27.81%

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

$153 ₱9,562

$557 ฿18.3K

-72.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,142 ₱446.7K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.99 ₱2,126

$64.1 ฿2,107

-46.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.15 ₱1,323

$29.07 ฿956

-27.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 ₱4,249

$96.0 ฿3,155

-29.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 ₱3,762

$90.3 ฿2,970

-33.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.9K

$730 ฿24.0K

-62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 ₱9,456

$500 ฿16.4K

-69.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-75.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱21.9K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-71.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 ₱142.5K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-36.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 ₱72.9K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-53.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

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 Pagadian: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Pagadian and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Pagadian vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $273 per month, with Pagadian 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

Pagadian vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pagadian and Phuket differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($730 vs $1,253 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,095 in Pagadian and $1,880 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $271 in Pagadian versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pagadian – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $730 per month in Pagadian versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $730 in Pagadian versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pagadian but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pagadian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.