Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabanatuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabanatuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $530 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,033 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,535 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 132% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cabanatuan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$4.52 ₱279

2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$35.89 ₱2,213

30.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.65 ₱225

142.19%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.84 ₱175

5.63%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.87 ₱53.8

-14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.48 ₱29.81

-22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.48 ₱91.6

64.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.62 ₱162

37.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.04 ₱126

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.56 ₱96.4

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.93 ₱57.6

140.86%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.06 ₱127

12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.47 ₱214

466.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.16 ₱195

15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.77 ₱418

93.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.09 ₱252

-17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.21 ₱74.9

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.98 ₱122

21.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.82 ₱50.6

147.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.42 ₱87.7

9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.45 ₱89.2

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.04 ₱64.4

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.84 ₱52.1

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.81 ₱173

58.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.88 ₱363

221.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.74 ₱45.45

140.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.74 ₱108

58.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.26 ₱16.02

438.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.74 ₱45.91

321.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.22 ₱13.54

354.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$0.87 ₱53.8

1519.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.11 ₱68.3

21.62%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$28.0K ₱1.7M

-2.95%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.8K ₱1.1M

85.23%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$57.9 ₱3,571

115.89%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$20.92 ₱1,290

-35.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$24.79 ₱1,529

-25.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$12.57 ₱775

389.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$2.73 ₱169

516.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.96 ₱429

32.04%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$152 ₱9,346

360.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,231 ₱260.9K

268.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$27.12 ₱1,673

112.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$34.09 ₱2,103

3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$62.6 ₱3,859

80.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$47.71 ₱2,943

81.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$261 ₱16.1K

136.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$44.47 ₱2,743

902.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$580 ₱35.8K

252.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$395 ₱24.4K

277.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$229 ₱14.1K

1055.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$206 ₱12.7K

154.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $261 in Cabanatuan. 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 154% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $175 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $530 in Cabanatuan – roughly 132% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $795 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabanatuan, 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 $36.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% 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 Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Cabanatuan 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 $530 in Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan. 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.