Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ahuachapan

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $1,848 in Ahuachapan, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Ahuachapan
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Ahuachapan Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ahuachapan

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 Ahuachapan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $1,848 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Ahuachapan $1,848

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $2,014 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Ahuachapan $2,014

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $2,180 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Ahuachapan $2,180

Phuket is about 35% cheaper than Ahuachapan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Ahuachapan is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿148

$6.83 $6.83

-35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,088

$44.44 $44.44

-27.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿296

$7.11 $7.11

23.21%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$3.61 $3.61

-21.61%

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

$0.90 ฿30.42

$1.12 $1.12

-19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.71

$0.81 $0.81

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿86.0

$1.98 $1.98

28.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿129

$3.49 $3.49

9.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿58.2

$1.81 $1.81

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.56

$2.81 $2.81

-47.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.39 $1.39

8.63%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.3

$3.01 $3.01

-27.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿664

$7.58 $7.58

159.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿113

$6.83 $6.83

-51.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿376

$10.36 $10.36

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿96.0

$4.95 $4.95

-42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿57.5

$1.38 $1.38

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.9

$2.55 $2.55

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿69.0

$3.43 $3.43

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿49.02

$2.90 $2.90

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.59

$3.20 $3.20

-56.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿36.02

$0.95 $0.95

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.07

$0.91 $0.91

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿144

$3.88 $3.88

9.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿627

$11.96 $11.96

55.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿60.2

$2.21 $2.21

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿96.0

$2.94 $2.94

-3.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿745

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿102

$6.05 $6.05

-50.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.67

$3.05 $3.05

-65.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿130

$19.82 $19.82

-80.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.25 $1.25

16.00%

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

$26.3K ฿888.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

5.29%

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

$26.9K ฿908.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-0.57%

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$131 $131

-26.49%

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

$11.04 ฿372

$21.53 $21.53

-48.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿578

$42.30 $42.30

-59.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿376

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿263

$4.94 $4.94

58.10%

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

$556 ฿18.8K

$164 $164

238.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿390.6K

$4,777 $4,777

142.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,166

$67.6 $67.6

-5.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿968

$46.64 $46.64

-38.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,217

$117 $117

-18.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,968

$119 $119

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.9K

$530 $530

39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.6K

$1,038 $1,038

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.7K

$364 $364

475.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.5K

$389 $389

209.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿117.6K

$3,064 $3,064

13.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿85.1K

$1,291 $1,291

95.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

$552 $552

-9.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.5

-34.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ahuachapan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Ahuachapan

$1K 56.2% 125% $575

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Ahuachapan

$283 15.3% 5.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Ahuachapan

$195 10.6% 56.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Ahuachapan

$158 8.5% 26.7% $33

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Ahuachapan

$144 7.8% 18.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Ahuachapan

$9.9 * 0.5% 85.4% $58

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Ahuachapan

$21 * 1.2% 46% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $530 in Ahuachapan. 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 10% higher in Ahuachapan, 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 $32 in Phuket versus $44 in Ahuachapan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $283 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇸🇻 Ahuachapan

🕒 Local time

12:38 12:38 PM

23:38 11:38 PM

13 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

110,511

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.84 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Ahuachapan 17,430 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ahuachapan

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 Ahuachapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,208 in Phuket, $1,848 in Ahuachapan – roughly 53% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $2,772 in Ahuachapan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahuachapan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $530 there versus $737 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $1,848 in Ahuachapan. That’s a gap of about 53%.

Kindergarten costs $556 per month in Phuket and $164 in Ahuachapan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Ahuachapan at $1,848. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ahuachapan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,208 in Phuket to $1,848 in Ahuachapan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ahuachapan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.