Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Acapulco Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Acapulco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $955 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,460 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,965 in Acapulco, rent included.

Phuket costs about 32% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Acapulco 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$10.78 MX$186

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$32.02 MX$554

41.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$11.34 MX$196

-25.66%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.76 MX$65.0

-22.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.82 MX$31.49

-62.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.54 MX$26.69

-75.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.57 MX$44.51

-6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.74 MX$81.9

-21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.56 MX$26.91

42.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$3.19 MX$55.1

-42.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.55 MX$26.82

40.00%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.74 MX$30.15

27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.24 MX$108

216.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.12 MX$141

-55.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.78 MX$186

25.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.53 MX$78.4

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.68 MX$29.07

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.19 MX$55.2

-24.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.12 MX$53.9

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$3.44 MX$59.4

-55.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.87 MX$49.68

-48.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.25 MX$21.67

-20.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.78 MX$13.42

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.82 MX$135

-43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.04 MX$122

175.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.04 MX$17.99

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.62 MX$45.37

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.73 MX$12.67

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$4.27 MX$73.8

-29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.54 MX$26.68

-35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.38 MX$145

68.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.26 MX$21.73

7.94%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.0K MX$362.7K

34.51%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.1K MX$382.6K

48.76%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$38.89 MX$673

212.93%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$22.51 MX$389

-39.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$20.88 MX$361

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$18.76 MX$324

221.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.24 MX$229

29.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.62 MX$62.7

140.06%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$156 MX$2,706

343.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,565 MX$61.7K

340.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$63.9 MX$1,105

-6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$41.96 MX$726

-17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$106 MX$1,826

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$80.3 MX$1,390

3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$506 MX$8,748

21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$243 MX$4,208

79.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$918 MX$15.9K

128.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$249 MX$4,302

506.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$486 MX$8,412

4.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.5

-53.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $506 in Acapulco. 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 4% 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 Phuket versus $32.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $268 – making Acapulco 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

Phuket vs Acapulco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 32% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,433 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $955 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $156 in Acapulco. 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 Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,265 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 Acapulco. 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.