Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and AzuaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Azua
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $888 in Azua.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,247 in Azua.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,606 in Azua.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Azua34% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$8.71DOP 515
-46.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$51.8DOP 3,059
-9.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.25DOP 429
21.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.38DOP 81.3
117.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.03DOP 60.9
-28.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.79DOP 46.42
-53.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.52DOP 149
-3.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$4.95DOP 292
-27.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.20DOP 70.8
88.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.74DOP 103
5.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.08DOP 64.1
107.41%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.63DOP 96.1
42.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$7.16DOP 423
174.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.14DOP 363
-40.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$10.81DOP 639
21.18%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.34DOP 197
1.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$0.85DOP 50.4
92.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$3.01DOP 178
-19.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.95DOP 115
4.10%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.55DOP 151
-38.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.36DOP 139
-36.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.12DOP 66.3
-8.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.95DOP 55.9
-48.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.91DOP 349
-24.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$11.59DOP 685
62.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.61DOP 154
-31.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.15DOP 186
-12.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Azua
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.33DOP 197
-6.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.11DOP 125
-52.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$5.88DOP 347
139.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.33DOP 78.5
1.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$26.9KDOP 1.6M
0.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$29.7KDOP 1.8M
10.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$77.2DOP 4,563
61.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$25.20DOP 1,489
-46.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$36.27DOP 2,143
-48.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.83DOP 403
34.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$267DOP 15.8K
161.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$8,222DOP 485.8K
89.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$60.7DOP 3,587
-4.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$52.7DOP 3,111
-33.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$95.1DOP 5,620
18.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$115DOP 6,776
-24.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Azua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$207DOP 12.2K
115.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$3,604DOP 212.9K
4.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Azua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12.9
-58.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Azua: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $52.0 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $239, with Azua 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 Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azua cheaper than Phuket?
Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% 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 $1,332 in Azua 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.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Azua?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Azua?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $888 in Azua – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Azua?
At $888 in Azua versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Azua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Azua more family-friendly?
For families, Azua 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 Azua?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Azua 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 Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.