Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Batangas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Batangas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $610 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $892 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,174 in Batangas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 108% more expensive than in Batangas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Batangas 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.10 ₱132

121.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$19.15 ₱1,201

68.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$2.61 ₱163

232.57%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.10 ₱132

38.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.39 ₱24.39

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.29 ₱18.23

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.07 ₱67.3

131.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.43 ₱89.4

160.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.72 ₱108

9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.14 ₱71.5

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.75 ₱47.26

116.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.64 ₱103

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$5.43 ₱340

265.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.31 ₱270

-19.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.07 ₱443

60.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.41 ₱151

20.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.43 ₱89.6

20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.36 ₱148

-3.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.17 ₱73.4

82.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.38 ₱149

-38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$3.34 ₱209

-57.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.32 ₱82.5

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.92 ₱57.6

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.61 ₱164

65.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.48 ₱469

148.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.33 ₱83.5

35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.84 ₱115

61.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.67 ₱41.86

235.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.77 ₱48.12

302.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.21 ₱13.14

414.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$2.59 ₱163

49.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.03 ₱64.7

38.83%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

28.93%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

42.74%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$163 ₱10.2K

-35.84%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$14.42 ₱904

-21.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$25.02 ₱1,568

-29.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$18.76 ₱1,176

189.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$12.90 ₱808

-11.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.70 ₱358

36.49%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$72.0 ₱4,510

701.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,259 ₱78.9K

820.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$16.10 ₱1,009

295.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$23.10 ₱1,448

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$55.9 ₱3,502

72.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$39.47 ₱2,475

128.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$72.1 ₱4,518

594.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$157 ₱9,850

1252.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$96.6 ₱6,054

1196.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,585 ₱162.1K

36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,586 ₱99.4K

65.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$166 ₱10.4K

205.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Batangas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 205% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Batangas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $189 per month, with Batangas 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 Batangas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Batangas differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $610 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 205% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

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 $610 in Batangas – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $610 in Batangas versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batangas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Batangas 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 Batangas 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.