Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alabang

For one person, living is cheaper in Alabang: $721 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Alabang
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Alabang Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Alabang

🇵🇭 Philippines

$721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Alabang

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $721 in Alabang, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Alabang $721

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,098 in Alabang, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Alabang $1,098

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,475 in Alabang, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Alabang $1,475

Phuket costs about 77% more than Alabang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Alabang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Alabang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$4.03 ₱257

10.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$18.49 ₱1,181

75.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$2.78 ₱178

216.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$2.37 ₱152

19.41%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$0.68 ₱43.36

27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.31 ₱19.58

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$1.02 ₱65.1

150.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$1.84 ₱118

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.59 ₱102

4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$1.14 ₱73.0

28.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.84 ₱53.8

78.57%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$1.78 ₱113

17.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$4.94 ₱315

286.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.46 ₱221

-4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$7.09 ₱453

53.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$2.20 ₱141

33.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.41 ₱90.0

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.36 ₱151

-4.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.01 ₱64.4

105.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.72 ₱110

-12.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.67 ₱107

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$0.64 ₱41.21

67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$0.52 ₱33.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$2.82 ₱180

48.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$7.27 ₱465

158.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$0.89 ₱56.6

104.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.81 ₱116

56.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$0.26 ₱16.65

457.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$11.17 ₱714

407.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.81 ₱51.5

272.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$0.21 ₱13.37

385.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$1.91 ₱122

93.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$1.21 ₱77.5

21.49%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$21.3K ₱1.4M

25.55%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$18.7K ₱1.2M

42.52%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$138 ₱8,797

-30.02%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$13.99 ₱894

-19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$22.79 ₱1,456

-26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$30.60 ₱1,955

119.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$4.61 ₱295

132.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$5.19 ₱331

44.51%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$70.7 ₱4,518

573.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$2,479 ₱158.4K

354.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$28.26 ₱1,806

120.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$19.00 ₱1,214

49.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$69.8 ₱4,458

35.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$54.3 ₱3,469

58.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$221 ₱14.1K

224.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$168 ₱10.7K

192.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$489 ₱31.3K

293.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$357 ₱22.8K

300.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$2,524 ₱161.3K

65.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,227 ₱78.4K

148.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Alabang: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Alabang

$168 23.2% 65.9% $323

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Alabang

$165 22.9% 38% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Alabang

$174 24.2% 40.2% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Alabang

$77 10.7% 36.7% $45

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Alabang

$82 11.3% 32.8% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Alabang

$41 5.7% 50.2% $41

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Alabang

$14 2% 80.1% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $221 in Alabang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $18 in Alabang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $165 – making Alabang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇭 Alabang

🕒 Local time

05:54 5:54 AM

06:54 6:54 AM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

71,075

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Alabang 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Alabang

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 Alabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,081 in Alabang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alabang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $221 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $18 in Alabang. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alabang, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Alabang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alabang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Alabang is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.