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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,693 in Aguada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,215 in Aguada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,736 in Aguada.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Aguada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Aguada is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$17.21 $17.21

-73.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$80.5 $80.5

-42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$9.71 $9.71

-12.77%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.20 $3.20

-5.31%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.70 $1.70

-59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.45 $1.45

-74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.04 $3.04

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.08 $4.08

-10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.38 $2.38

-8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.32 $3.32

-42.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.25 $2.25

-2.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$4.37 $4.37

-49.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.77 $8.77

127.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.73 $8.73

-58.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.59 $12.59

5.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$5.95 $5.95

-45.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.61 $2.61

-34.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$3.87 $3.87

-38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$4.08 $4.08

-49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.94 $3.94

-59.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$3.04 $3.04

-51.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$3.12 $3.12

-66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.93 $1.93

-73.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$11.10 $11.10

-61.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.49 $2.49

-29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.16 $3.16

-12.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.51 $1.51

-31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$14.99 $14.99

-8.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.98 $0.98

36.73%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$36.5K $36.5K

-24.08%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$26.9K $26.9K

25.96%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$318 $318

-61.11%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$78.9 $78.9

-82.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$71.4 $71.4

-73.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$55.5 $55.5

11.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.44 $11.44

-20.10%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$468 $468

50.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$10.4K $10.4K

52.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$45.25 $45.25

31.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$55.7 $55.7

-37.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$91.5 $91.5

26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$106 $106

-21.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$506 $506

22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$456 $456

-5.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,786 $1,786

15.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$2,236 $2,236

-77.33%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aguada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $506 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 341% 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 $293 vs $345 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,693 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aguada earns 341% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $506 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 $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,693 in Aguada – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,693 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 34% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.