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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $538 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $918 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,298 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Phuket is roughly 132% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Barquisimeto 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.32 VES 5,384

-37.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$30.12 VES 22.1K

53.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.96 VES 7,319

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.97 VES 715

215.46%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.20 VES 884

-39.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.73 VES 540

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.48 VES 1,085

64.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.54 VES 1,135

145.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.52 VES 1,117

48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.53 VES 1,859

-28.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.02 VES 747

120.59%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.64 VES 1,207

37.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.06 VES 2,983

380.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.03 VES 3,698

-27.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.95 VES 5,109

87.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.89 VES 3,598

-33.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.98 VES 723

65.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.01 VES 744

135.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.03 VES 756

97.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.99 VES 727

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.51 VES 1,112

-0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.52 VES 384

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.02 VES 748

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.93 VES 2,156

51.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$13.34 VES 9,807

37.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.79 VES 583

135.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$0.98 VES 718

173.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.44 VES 323

220.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$4.88 VES 3,584

-36.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.49 VES 359

167.35%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.5K VES 18.0M

13.47%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$35.7K VES 26.3M

-7.05%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$19.97 VES 14.7K

513.12%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$10.07 VES 7,399

34.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$40.16 VES 29.5K

-53.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$22.92 VES 16.9K

163.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.48 VES 3,294

102.46%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$50.2 VES 36.9K

1308.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.49 VES 20.2K

112.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$24.55 VES 18.0K

44.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$50.8 VES 37.4K

127.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$49.06 VES 36.1K

70.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$202 VES 148.7K

209.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$49.50 VES 36.4K

799.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$253 VES 185.9K

706.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$151 VES 110.7K

890.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$473 VES 348.0K

635.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$245 VES 180.3K

950.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$188 VES 138.4K

165.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 166% 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 $30.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $202 per month, with Barquisimeto 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 132% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $538 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 166% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $538 in Barquisimeto – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,250 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 132% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.