Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aguada Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aguada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,705 in Aguada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,235 in Aguada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,764 in Aguada.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 28% less than in Aguada, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Aguada is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$16.79 $16.79

-72.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$81.1 $81.1

-42.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.41 $9.41

-6.06%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.25 $3.25

-7.69%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.69 $1.69

-56.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.37 $1.37

-72.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.08 $3.08

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.09 $4.09

-11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.40 $2.40

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.42 $3.42

-46.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.28 $2.28

-1.75%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$4.32 $4.32

-46.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$9.04 $9.04

117.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$8.33 $8.33

-56.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.95 $12.95

1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$5.73 $5.73

-40.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.74 $2.74

-40.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.92 $3.92

-38.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$4.08 $4.08

-50.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$3.94 $3.94

-60.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$3.05 $3.05

-50.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$3.01 $3.01

-66.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.97 $1.97

-75.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$11.15 $11.15

-60.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.58 $2.58

-31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.14 $3.14

-12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.46 $1.46

-31.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$15.14 $15.14

-6.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.91 $0.91

48.35%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-24.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.8K $26.8K

22.71%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$310 $310

-59.70%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$78.7 $78.7

-82.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$72.0 $72.0

-74.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$55.4 $55.4

11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$11.58 $11.58

-20.64%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$465 $465

50.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$10.6K $10.6K

47.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$45.68 $45.68

26.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$56.6 $56.6

-37.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$89.7 $89.7

26.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$106 $106

-18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$497 $497

23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$449 $449

-0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,773 $1,773

15.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$2,243 $2,243

-76.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.71

-6.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aguada: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $497 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 328% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Aguada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $346 per month, with Phuket 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

Phuket vs Aguada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Aguada differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,705 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aguada earns 328% less. 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: $616 in Phuket versus $497 in Aguada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Aguada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,705 in Aguada – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,705 in Aguada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Aguada. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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, Phuket and Aguada 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.