🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala.
🙂Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Antigua Guatemala; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Antigua Guatemala5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$5.12Q 39.04
-8.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$53.2Q 405
-14.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$6.49Q 49.49
29.89%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$3.40Q 25.90
-13.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.22Q 9.31
-43.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.92Q 6.98
-59.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.87Q 29.46
-37.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$4.60Q 35.08
-19.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.94Q 14.79
14.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$3.08Q 23.47
-40.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.64Q 12.52
32.32%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.55Q 19.45
-13.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$7.65Q 58.3
158.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$8.47Q 64.6
-57.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$10.28Q 78.3
31.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.65Q 27.85
-10.14%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.56Q 11.91
3.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.08Q 23.47
-21.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.65Q 12.59
26.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.76Q 13.39
-13.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.73Q 13.15
-14.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.74Q 5.65
33.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.23Q 9.34
-58.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$3.61Q 27.50
22.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$7.98Q 60.8
142.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.69Q 12.87
5.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.42Q 18.48
11.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.97Q 15.03
-30.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$4.67Q 35.60
-35.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$15.37Q 117
-8.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.12Q 8.52
21.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$19.6KQ 149.4K
43.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$22.1KQ 168.2K
49.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$48.43Q 369
151.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$26.09Q 199
-47.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$48.90Q 373
-62.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$40.38Q 308
49.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$27.77Q 212
-38.28%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$7.31Q 55.7
18.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$246Q 1,878
181.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$5,834Q 44.5K
168.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$46.64Q 355
27.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$53.6Q 409
-35.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$101Q 771
13.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$83.8Q 639
-0.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$879Q 6,701
-30.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$556Q 4,237
-21.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$2,010Q 15.3K
4.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,247Q 9,503
21.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$2,985Q 22.8K
25.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$1,222Q 9,312
114.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$539Q 4,104
-5.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.5
-37.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Antigua Guatemala pays 6% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $267, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.
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 Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Antigua Guatemala earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Antigua Guatemala?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Antigua Guatemala?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $246 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Antigua Guatemala pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Antigua Guatemala?
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.
Is Phuket or Antigua Guatemala safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Antigua Guatemala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
How do I decide between Phuket and Antigua Guatemala?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Antigua Guatemala on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.