Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boquete Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boquete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,389 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,065 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,741 in Boquete.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Boquete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Boquete is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.43 PAB 5.43

-13.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$29.91 PAB 29.91

51.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.36 PAB 7.36

14.54%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-11.75%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.40 PAB 1.40

-50.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.87 PAB 0.87

-57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.77 PAB 1.77

36.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.02 PAB 2.02

84.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.62 PAB 1.62

37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-24.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.41 PAB 1.41

53.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.66 PAB 2.66

-16.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.11 PAB 9.11

116.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.62 PAB 7.62

-52.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.00 PAB 11.00

23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.44 PAB 4.44

-26.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.00 PAB 1.00

61.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.18 PAB 3.18

-24.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.64 PAB 1.64

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.28 PAB 2.28

-32.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.68 PAB 1.68

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.23 PAB 2.23

-55.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.65 PAB 1.65

-69.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.35 PAB 5.35

-17.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.08 PAB 8.08

139.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.20 PAB 1.20

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.70 PAB 2.70

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-9.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$25.34 PAB 25.34

-55.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.01 PAB 1.01

199.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$30.39 PAB 30.39

-53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.89 PAB 0.89

52.81%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

9.52%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

58.17%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$53.7 PAB 53.7

126.84%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$28.49 PAB 28.49

-52.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$45.79 PAB 45.79

-60.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$87.9 PAB 87.9

-31.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$17.68 PAB 17.68

-3.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.41 PAB 6.41

35.57%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$245 PAB 245

182.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$35.53 PAB 35.53

67.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$25.36 PAB 25.36

37.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$51.4 PAB 51.4

123.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$58.9 PAB 58.9

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$743 PAB 743

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$652 PAB 652

-32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,564 PAB 1,564

33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,142 PAB 1,142

32.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,181 PAB 1,181

217.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,155 PAB 1,155

126.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$800 PAB 800

-36.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $743 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 58% 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 $30.00 in Boquete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $271 per month, with Boquete 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 Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boquete earns 58% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $743 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boquete pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,389 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boquete, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Boquete 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.