Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ayutuxtepeque Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ayutuxtepeque

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $960 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,407 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,854 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than Ayutuxtepeque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ayutuxtepeque 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.05 $8.05

-43.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.10 $30.10

54.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.04 $5.04

68.06%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.27 $3.27

-7.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.67 $0.67

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.48 $0.48

-22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.26 $1.26

97.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.96 $2.96

23.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.39 $1.39

56.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.47 $1.47

29.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.03 $1.03

113.59%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.34 $2.34

-5.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.20 $7.20

177.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.66 $5.66

-35.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.02 $9.02

46.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.16 $3.16

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.14 $2.14

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.63 $2.63

-20.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.62 $1.62

-1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.13 $2.13

-30.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.63 $0.63

63.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.02 $1.02

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.05 $4.05

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.17 $6.17

204.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.48 $1.48

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.51 $2.51

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.36 $0.36

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$5.60 $5.60

-43.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.99 $2.99

-65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$20.26 $20.26

-32.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.04 $1.04

28.85%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

7.24%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K $28.0K

20.76%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$94.5 $94.5

30.76%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$19.29 $19.29

-29.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$35.22 $35.22

-46.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$14.78 $14.78

318.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.18 $5.18

76.45%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$145 $145

383.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,962 $2,962

435.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$24.67 $24.67

141.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$30.26 $30.26

15.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$116 $116

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$73.5 $73.5

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$153 $153

305.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$302 $302

43.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$393 $393

424.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$403 $403

275.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$434 $434

16.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.58

-37.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ayutuxtepeque: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $153 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 17% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Ayutuxtepeque for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $215 per month, with Ayutuxtepeque 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 Ayutuxtepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayutuxtepeque wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayutuxtepeque the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Phuket pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $153 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $145 in Ayutuxtepeque. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ayutuxtepeque – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $960 in Ayutuxtepeque versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayutuxtepeque but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ayutuxtepeque the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ayutuxtepeque delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $960 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayutuxtepeque hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ayutuxtepeque are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ayutuxtepeque gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.