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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,161 in Bucerias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,828 in Bucerias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,495 in Bucerias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 6% more than Bucerias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Bucerias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bucerias 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$10.68 MX$187

-56.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$37.60 MX$658

24.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.17 MX$143

8.20%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.38 MX$59.2

-11.24%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.32 MX$23.14

-43.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.85 MX$14.85

-56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.63 MX$45.97

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.72 MX$65.1

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.45 MX$25.45

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.41 MX$59.6

-46.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.69 MX$29.63

32.54%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.55 MX$44.68

-9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$9.36 MX$164

110.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$9.98 MX$175

-63.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.38 MX$182

26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.49 MX$43.65

36.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.51 MX$26.39

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.60 MX$27.96

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.77 MX$31.00

14.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.14 MX$37.40

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.56 MX$44.82

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.31 MX$23.00

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.06 MX$18.62

-53.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.15 MX$72.6

7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$11.47 MX$201

64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.62 MX$28.39

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.29 MX$57.6

-16.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.62 MX$10.80

125.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.58 MX$45.06

20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.60 MX$27.92

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$10.59 MX$185

33.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.31 MX$23.00

3.05%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$15.1K MX$264.3K

80.00%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.6K MX$394.8K

45.93%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$92.5 MX$1,618

35.19%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$23.65 MX$414

-42.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$29.56 MX$517

-37.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$35.43 MX$620

73.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$15.95 MX$279

5.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.00 MX$87.5

83.80%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$186 MX$3,247

276.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,268 MX$109.7K

148.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$49.67 MX$869

16.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$34.15 MX$598

3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$97.7 MX$1,710

15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$92.8 MX$1,624

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$508 MX$8,889

21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$391 MX$6,850

13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$950 MX$16.6K

115.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$766 MX$13.4K

94.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,026 MX$35.5K

86.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,289 MX$22.6K

105.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,149 MX$20.1K

-54.41%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bucerias: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $508 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 119% 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 $38.00 in Bucerias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $279 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,161 in Bucerias – roughly 6% 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 $1,742 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 $38.00 in Bucerias. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,161, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,161 in Bucerias 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 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.