Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boca del Rio Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boca del Rio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,221 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,938 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,655 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

Phuket costs about 1% more than Boca del Rio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Boca del Rio are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Boca del Rio 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.79 MX$202

-62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$47.05 MX$808

-31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.78 MX$151

1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.77 MX$64.7

-23.08%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.49 MX$25.58

-40.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$1.16 MX$19.97

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.97 MX$50.9

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.41 MX$75.8

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.88 MX$32.22

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$2.81 MX$48.30

-47.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.88 MX$32.29

-17.55%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.31 MX$39.72

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$8.68 MX$149

125.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.56 MX$164

-64.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$11.07 MX$190

2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.78 MX$47.64

7.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.65 MX$28.37

1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.94 MX$33.31

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.63 MX$27.99

32.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.79 MX$30.80

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$2.11 MX$36.23

-36.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.41 MX$24.17

-19.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$1.20 MX$20.64

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.94 MX$84.7

-13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$12.03 MX$206

58.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.05 MX$35.18

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$3.27 MX$56.2

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.63 MX$10.76

253.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.42 MX$41.47

25.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$1.85 MX$31.75

-44.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$10.45 MX$179

-62.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.51 MX$26.00

-1.32%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$22.5K MX$386.7K

18.00%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$25.5K MX$438.3K

5.86%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$53.3 MX$914

92.36%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$25.26 MX$434

-55.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$27.25 MX$468

-36.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$40.70 MX$699

27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$18.54 MX$318

-40.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.91 MX$101

30.12%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$246 MX$4,223

127.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$4,926 MX$84.5K

133.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$62.2 MX$1,068

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$48.23 MX$828

-38.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$95.2 MX$1,634

2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$81.5 MX$1,399

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$740 MX$12.7K

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$452 MX$7,760

6.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$1,224 MX$21.0K

72.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$796 MX$13.7K

54.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,977 MX$33.9K

82.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$1,284 MX$22.0K

102.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.3

-50.71%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Boca del Rio: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $740 in Boca del Rio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Boca del Rio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $281 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Boca del Rio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,221 in Boca del Rio – roughly 1% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,831 in Boca del Rio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boca del Rio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,221 in Boca del Rio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $246 in Boca del Rio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Boca del Rio, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Boca del Rio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,221 in Boca del Rio to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Boca del Rio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.