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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $557 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $939 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Phuket is roughly 127% more expensive than Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Barquisimeto 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.40 VES 4,137

-36.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$30.54 VES 17.1K

48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.15 VES 5,673

-16.95%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.01 VES 567

190.10%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.18 VES 660

-41.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.71 VES 398

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.47 VES 824

63.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.54 VES 859

141.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.53 VES 853

45.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.48 VES 1,387

-26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.99 VES 552

119.19%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.62 VES 905

36.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.10 VES 2,291

381.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.05 VES 2,825

-28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.05 VES 3,939

91.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.91 VES 2,743

-33.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.98 VES 549

64.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.98 VES 550

145.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.98 VES 546

112.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.99 VES 551

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.47 VES 822

0.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.52 VES 289

90.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.02 VES 568

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.07 VES 1,718

43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$13.37 VES 7,476

44.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.78 VES 435

128.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.02 VES 569

165.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.44 VES 245

211.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$5.11 VES 2,856

-40.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.51 VES 287

166.67%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$24.7K VES 13.8M

13.96%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$36.4K VES 20.3M

-9.62%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$20.08 VES 11.2K

506.08%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.08 VES 5,635

34.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$40.41 VES 22.6K

-54.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$22.57 VES 12.6K

166.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.49 VES 2,508

93.54%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$50.1 VES 28.0K

1285.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$27.93 VES 15.6K

113.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$24.91 VES 13.9K

39.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$50.3 VES 28.1K

128.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$49.45 VES 27.6K

68.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$199 VES 111.3K

208.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$50.7 VES 28.3K

762.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$246 VES 137.4K

752.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$149 VES 83.1K

915.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$469 VES 262.2K

699.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$248 VES 138.8K

953.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$190 VES 106.2K

167.45%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 167% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $201 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 127% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $557 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 167% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $557 in Barquisimeto – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,265 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 127% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.