Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bucerias Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bucerias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,207 in Bucerias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,896 in Bucerias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $2,586 in Bucerias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 1% more than Bucerias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Bucerias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bucerias 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$10.55 MX$183

-57.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$38.84 MX$674

20.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$8.05 MX$140

5.47%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$3.36 MX$58.3

-8.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$1.38 MX$24.03

-50.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.91 MX$15.85

-60.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$2.70 MX$46.85

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.73 MX$64.7

-2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.38 MX$23.99

58.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$3.54 MX$61.4

-48.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.63 MX$28.34

36.81%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.43 MX$42.13

-7.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$9.47 MX$164

106.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$9.90 MX$172

-62.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$10.09 MX$175

33.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.41 MX$41.77

39.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.49 MX$25.88

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.60 MX$27.84

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.77 MX$30.68

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.15 MX$37.38

-28.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$2.59 MX$45.03

-44.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.37 MX$23.75

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$1.07 MX$18.58

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.20 MX$73.0

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$12.41 MX$215

54.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.65 MX$28.58

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$3.39 MX$58.8

-19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.61 MX$10.62

132.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.63 MX$45.58

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.55 MX$26.98

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$10.61 MX$184

31.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.33 MX$23.01

-3.01%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$14.6K MX$254.1K

91.44%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.7K MX$394.7K

47.31%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$93.2 MX$1,618

30.87%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$23.77 MX$413

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$29.15 MX$506

-35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$36.23 MX$629

69.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$15.83 MX$275

6.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$4.82 MX$83.7

84.44%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$190 MX$3,289

264.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$6,300 MX$109.3K

156.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$49.62 MX$861

16.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$32.88 MX$571

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$99.3 MX$1,724

14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$92.0 MX$1,596

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$515 MX$8,932

17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$396 MX$6,879

13.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$921 MX$16.0K

120.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$748 MX$13.0K

99.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$2,018 MX$35.0K

77.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$1,341 MX$23.3K

92.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$1,180 MX$20.5K

-57.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.48

-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bucerias: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $515 in Bucerias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 134% higher in Bucerias, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Bucerias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $280 – making Bucerias 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 Bucerias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in Phuket, $1,207 in Bucerias – roughly 1% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,811 in Bucerias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $39.00 in Bucerias. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucerias, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Bucerias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bucerias has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,207 in Bucerias to $1,223 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 Bucerias. 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.