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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,181 in Bucerias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,835 in Bucerias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,490 in Bucerias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 7% more than Bucerias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Bucerias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Bucerias 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.69 MX$185

-58.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$38.97 MX$674

16.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.85 MX$136

11.59%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.48 MX$60.2

-14.66%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.37 MX$23.64

-49.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.92 MX$15.84

-57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.69 MX$46.53

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.88 MX$67.1

-3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.41 MX$24.32

52.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$3.42 MX$59.3

-46.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.66 MX$28.76

31.33%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.45 MX$42.36

-8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.32 MX$161

114.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$10.24 MX$177

-64.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.28 MX$178

31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.41 MX$41.71

34.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.51 MX$26.06

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.61 MX$27.83

44.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.79 MX$31.02

15.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.14 MX$36.96

-27.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.59 MX$44.82

-43.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.38 MX$23.84

-28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.11 MX$19.21

-56.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.10 MX$70.9

6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.55 MX$217

47.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.64 MX$28.35

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.37 MX$58.3

-21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.60 MX$10.41

136.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.62 MX$45.31

20.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.61 MX$27.88

-36.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$10.43 MX$181

33.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.27 MX$22.03

5.51%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$14.5K MX$251.7K

91.05%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.6K MX$390.5K

47.89%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$93.0 MX$1,610

32.27%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$23.49 MX$406

-41.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$28.76 MX$498

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.53 MX$632

66.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$15.94 MX$276

7.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.80 MX$83.0

84.79%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$187 MX$3,233

268.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,297 MX$109.0K

150.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$50.8 MX$879

16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$33.22 MX$575

4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$98.0 MX$1,695

17.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$93.1 MX$1,610

-9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$509 MX$8,808

22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$394 MX$6,815

13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$923 MX$16.0K

120.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$752 MX$13.0K

98.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,881 MX$32.5K

83.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,249 MX$21.6K

102.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,138 MX$19.7K

-56.62%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bucerias: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $509 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 131% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Bucerias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $282 – 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: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,181 in Bucerias – roughly 7% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,771 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 $46.00 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 3% 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 $1,181, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,181 in Bucerias to $1,264 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.