🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,281 in Antigua Guatemala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,115 in Antigua Guatemala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,950 in Antigua Guatemala.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Antigua Guatemala4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$5.19Q 39.52
-12.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$53.3Q 406
-13.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$6.35Q 48.39
39.21%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$3.42Q 26.03
-10.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.19Q 9.07
-38.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.97Q 7.38
-58.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$3.92Q 29.88
-38.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$4.69Q 35.70
-19.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.91Q 14.53
18.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$3.18Q 24.19
-43.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.59Q 12.09
41.51%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.53Q 19.30
-11.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.46Q 56.9
161.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$8.45Q 64.4
-56.80%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$10.18Q 77.6
28.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.65Q 27.80
-11.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.52Q 11.55
6.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.15Q 24.01
-24.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$1.59Q 12.11
27.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.75Q 13.33
-12.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.77Q 13.47
-15.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.73Q 5.58
34.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.20Q 9.14
-56.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$3.56Q 27.13
24.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$8.07Q 61.5
127.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.67Q 12.76
11.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.51Q 19.15
6.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$2.05Q 15.60
-31.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$4.71Q 35.91
-33.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$15.77Q 120
-10.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.11Q 8.48
18.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$19.4KQ 148.0K
43.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$22.5KQ 171.4K
47.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$49.84Q 380
145.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$26.09Q 199
-47.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$49.09Q 374
-61.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$40.22Q 306
50.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$27.79Q 212
-38.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$7.24Q 55.2
25.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$249Q 1,893
184.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$5,856Q 44.6K
169.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$47.36Q 361
23.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$54.0Q 411
-34.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$100Q 763
15.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$85.9Q 655
-2.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$880Q 6,701
-28.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$551Q 4,197
-19.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$2,034Q 15.5K
0.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$1,260Q 9,602
18.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$3,046Q 23.2K
14.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$1,205Q 9,184
113.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Antigua Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$544Q 4,142
-8.06%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Antigua Guatemala: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $880 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Antigua Guatemala pays 9% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $266, 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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Antigua Guatemala?
Phuket and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,281 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Antigua Guatemala. 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 in Antigua Guatemala?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $880 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 $706 in Phuket versus $249 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,281 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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Antigua Guatemala?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.