ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,154 in Atotonilco el Alto.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,860 in Atotonilco el Alto.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,565 in Atotonilco el Alto.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than Atotonilco el Alto, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Atotonilco el Alto14% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$9.66MX$169
-52.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$47.10MX$824
-0.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$7.87MX$138
12.33%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$3.53MX$61.8
-15.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$1.30MX$22.73
-43.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$0.95MX$16.65
-61.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$2.41MX$42.18
1.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$4.28MX$74.8
-15.65%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.54MX$26.89
46.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.65MX$46.41
-30.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$1.96MX$34.37
14.29%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$2.31MX$40.37
0.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$8.04MX$141
144.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$9.84MX$172
-62.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$12.88MX$225
1.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$3.55MX$62.1
-4.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$1.53MX$26.85
7.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.85MX$32.30
30.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$1.71MX$29.86
18.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$1.72MX$30.14
-9.30%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$1.84MX$32.14
-18.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.30MX$22.75
-21.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$1.16MX$20.33
-57.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$4.30MX$75.2
3.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$17.31MX$303
9.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.94MX$33.87
-8.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$3.29MX$57.7
-16.41%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$0.65MX$11.38
115.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$3.14MX$55.0
-0.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$1.20MX$20.98
-16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$9.16MX$160
53.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.25MX$21.81
8.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$19.8KMX$346.3K
37.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$20.2KMX$354.3K
62.59%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$62.5MX$1,093
100.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$24.07MX$421
-43.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$28.13MX$492
-34.16%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$35.80MX$627
71.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$16.08MX$281
4.73%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$6.07MX$106
51.40%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$316MX$5,535
120.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$4,910MX$85.9K
217.59%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$51.5MX$901
12.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$42.29MX$740
-16.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$98.2MX$1,719
15.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$95.6MX$1,673
-9.66%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$515MX$9,006
19.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$397MX$6,941
12.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$914MX$16.0K
124.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$756MX$13.2K
97.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$1,865MX$32.6K
102.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$1,350MX$23.6K
96.26%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.55
-53.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $515 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atotonilco el Alto cheaper than Phuket?
Atotonilco el Alto is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,731 in Atotonilco el Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Atotonilco el Alto?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $515 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $316 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Atotonilco el Alto?
Dining out is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto â a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Atotonilco el Alto?
At $1,154 in Atotonilco el Alto versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Atotonilco el Alto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Atotonilco el Alto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Atotonilco el Alto more family-friendly?
For families, Atotonilco el Alto is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Atotonilco el Alto?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Atotonilco el Alto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Atotonilco el Alto gentler on the wallet â expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.