Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Acuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Acuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $920 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,585 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $2,249 in Acuna, rent included.

Phuket costs about 33% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Acuna 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$14.10 MX$243

-68.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$22.74 MX$391

105.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.15 MX$140

4.17%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.72 MX$46.74

13.24%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.02 MX$17.62

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.03 MX$17.66

-65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.42 MX$41.67

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.02 MX$69.1

-9.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.60 MX$27.45

36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.93 MX$33.17

-6.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.69 MX$29.10

31.95%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.88 MX$49.50

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.96 MX$120

181.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.80 MX$82.6

-22.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$8.74 MX$150

54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.36 MX$40.63

42.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.42 MX$24.41

14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.71 MX$29.50

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.91 MX$32.89

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.82 MX$31.31

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.42 MX$24.42

2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.03 MX$17.68

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.31 MX$22.58

-63.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.10 MX$70.5

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$11.26 MX$194

69.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.59 MX$27.41

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.77 MX$47.61

-1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.65 MX$11.27

118.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$23.48 MX$404

-50.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.62 MX$45.04

14.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.59 MX$27.43

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$8.38 MX$144

65.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.19 MX$20.52

8.40%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$17.5K MX$301.5K

59.99%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$18.0K MX$310.0K

85.93%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$55.9 MX$961

118.33%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$22.09 MX$380

-36.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$36.46 MX$627

-48.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$28.19 MX$485

117.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$14.33 MX$247

17.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$4.20 MX$72.3

111.67%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$161 MX$2,764

330.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,591 MX$61.8K

350.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$46.49 MX$800

24.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.22 MX$675

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$88.0 MX$1,514

28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$81.8 MX$1,408

1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$287 MX$4,941

111.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$195 MX$3,350

130.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$844 MX$14.5K

140.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$638 MX$11.0K

133.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$2,254 MX$38.8K

59.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,108 MX$19.1K

133.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.48

-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Acuna: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $287 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Acuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $226 – making Acuna 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 Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,380 in Acuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, 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 $1,223 in Phuket and $920 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 100% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Acuna. 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.