Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barquisimeto Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barquisimeto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $861 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,472 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Barquisimeto 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.95 VES 8,078

-54.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$49.50 VES 40.2K

-34.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$11.52 VES 9,350

-22.74%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.3

$1.72 VES 1,393

62.79%

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

$0.88 ฿28.96

$1.52 VES 1,236

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.09

$1.15 VES 932

-57.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.6

$1.28 VES 1,038

86.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.36 VES 2,724

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.98 VES 2,420

-39.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.43

$2.37 VES 1,921

-39.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.14 VES 1,734

-26.17%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.0

$3.27 VES 2,657

-34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.85 VES 6,375

153.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$9.03 VES 7,331

-62.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿373

$10.65 VES 8,647

6.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$4.59 VES 3,730

-35.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.02 VES 1,637

-14.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$0.74 VES 597

213.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.5

$0.92 VES 746

126.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.37

$0.95 VES 775

54.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.35 VES 1,095

0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.15

$0.65 VES 529

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.90

$1.61 VES 1,309

-64.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.92 VES 2,368

46.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$11.82 VES 9,590

55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.6

$1.25 VES 1,018

49.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.81 VES 2,284

3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.40 VES 324

455.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$39.68 VES 32.2K

-42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.96 VES 4,026

-38.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.34

$2.54 VES 2,063

-57.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$15.22 VES 12.4K

-74.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.09

$0.75 VES 611

98.67%

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

$27.1K ฿892.5K

$25.1K VES 20.4M

7.97%

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

$27.5K ฿903.2K

$31.3K VES 25.4M

-12.31%

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

$103 ฿3,382

$15.36 VES 12.5K

569.27%

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

$10.99 ฿362

$7.87 VES 6,386

39.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-52.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,761

$33.48 VES 27.2K

59.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$8.72 VES 7,081

28.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.05 VES 4,100

48.12%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$56.4 VES 45.8K

887.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿390.0K

$494 VES 401.1K

2298.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,108

$46.83 VES 38.0K

36.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿957

$39.74 VES 32.3K

-26.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,157

$103 VES 83.5K

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,972

$81.5 VES 66.1K

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$213 VES 173.2K

242.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$142 VES 115.3K

251.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.8K

$464 VES 376.7K

350.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$322 VES 261.2K

275.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.3K

$474 VES 384.4K

659.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.7K

$253 VES 205.4K

892.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$185 VES 150.6K

171.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-77.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 171% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $281 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 Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Barquisimeto differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 171% higher in Phuket, 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: $730 in Phuket versus $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $861 in Barquisimeto – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Barquisimeto 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 Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.