Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aguada

For one person, living is cheaper in Aguada: $1,181 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Phuket despite lower rent and utilities.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Aguada

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$1,181

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Aguada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Aguada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,181 in Aguada.

Phuket $1,278
Aguada $1,181

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,227 in Aguada.

Phuket $2,216
Aguada $1,227

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,274 in Aguada.

Phuket $3,154
Aguada $1,274

Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in Aguada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Aguada 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$11.12 $11.12

-59.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$12.20 $12.20

-27.79%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.04 $2.04

38.73%

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

$2.04 $2.04

-57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$1.03 $1.03

-52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$1.47 $1.47

74.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.97 $2.97

23.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.78 $1.78

-6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

$2.52 $2.52

-42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.43 $4.43

-52.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.76

$0.84 $0.84

75.00%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$260 $260

-62.95%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$60.0 $60.0

-81.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$54.0 $54.0

24.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$6.12 $6.12

22.55%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$500 $500

-4.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

$35.43 $35.43

76.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$40.32 $40.32

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

$80.0 $80.0

17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

$100 $100

-14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$506 $506

41.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$443 $443

10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$2,191 $2,191

-77.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aguada: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Aguada

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Aguada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Aguada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Aguada

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Aguada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Aguada

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Aguada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $506 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays about 4.4 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇷 Aguada

🕒 Local time

04:13 4:13 AM

17:13 5:13 PM

11 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

41,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Aguada 16,690 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Aguada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,181 in Aguada, so Aguada is about 8% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% 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: $716 in Phuket versus $506 in Aguada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $500 in Aguada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,181 in Aguada – Aguada is about 8% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Aguada gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.