Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,361 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,115 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,869 in Ajijic, rent included.

Phuket is about 7% cheaper than Ajijic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Ajijic 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.34 MX$175

-54.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$47.48 MX$805

-32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.57 MX$128

14.66%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.85 MX$65.2

-24.68%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.81 MX$30.71

-53.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.26 MX$21.43

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.33 MX$39.52

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.64 MX$61.8

2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.54 MX$26.10

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.31 MX$39.20

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.19 MX$20.20

36.13%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.46 MX$41.76

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$8.81 MX$149

125.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$8.77 MX$149

-60.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.85 MX$133

44.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.39 MX$40.52

21.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.36 MX$23.10

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.66 MX$28.18

36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.90 MX$32.28

12.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.73 MX$29.34

-15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.44 MX$24.36

-1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.10 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.97 MX$16.44

-38.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.70 MX$79.8

-8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$9.69 MX$164

91.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.65 MX$27.91

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.43 MX$24.31

107.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.70 MX$11.83

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.31 MX$22.15

136.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$4.81 MX$81.6

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$12.02 MX$204

-67.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.53 MX$25.94

-6.54%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.2K MX$393.5K

19.78%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$26.2K MX$444.0K

3.10%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$59.3 MX$1,005

76.88%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$15.70 MX$266

-27.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$26.17 MX$444

-32.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$26.81 MX$455

102.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$5.77 MX$97.9

98.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.09 MX$86.4

52.85%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$228 MX$3,869

152.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,093 MX$52.5K

274.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$48.14 MX$817

32.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$17.70 MX$300

64.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$73.7 MX$1,250

30.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$75.3 MX$1,277

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$917 MX$15.6K

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$666 MX$11.3K

-24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,578 MX$26.8K

34.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,308 MX$22.2K

-4.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$3,186 MX$54.0K

10.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,749 MX$29.7K

49.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$594 MX$10.1K

-14.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.2

-50.27%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $917 in Ajijic. 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 17% higher in Ajijic, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Ajijic. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $238 in Ajijic – so Ajijic wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,042 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,361 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $228 in Ajijic. 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 $1,265, than in Ajijic at $1,361. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.