Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,669 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,562 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,455 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Phuket is about 24% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$11.17 MX$194

-57.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$53.6 MX$930

-15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.55 MX$165

-11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.38 MX$58.5

-13.31%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.54 MX$26.72

-55.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.09 MX$18.95

-66.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.42 MX$42.00

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.05 MX$70.1

-8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.84 MX$31.84

21.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.49 MX$43.21

-26.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.39 MX$41.45

-9.21%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.16 MX$37.47

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.50 MX$165

107.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.75 MX$169

-62.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.48 MX$251

-6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.57 MX$44.50

27.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.48 MX$25.67

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.51 MX$26.12

59.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.74 MX$30.08

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.07 MX$18.58

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.71 MX$29.60

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.82 MX$48.95

-64.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.25 MX$21.74

-59.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.73 MX$82.0

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.60 MX$201

67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.19 MX$20.61

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.23 MX$56.0

-16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.83 MX$14.36

65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$51.5 MX$892

-77.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$4.20 MX$72.8

-28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.81 MX$48.65

-64.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.34 MX$179

36.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.32 MX$22.95

3.03%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$21.8K MX$377.4K

29.49%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.8K MX$395.8K

44.05%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$83.2 MX$1,442

46.22%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$23.31 MX$404

-41.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$25.83 MX$448

-29.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$43.93 MX$761

37.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$16.12 MX$279

6.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.89 MX$67.4

123.39%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$130 MX$2,259

432.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$7,781 MX$134.8K

101.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$71.3 MX$1,236

-16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$50.8 MX$879

-31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$91.4 MX$1,583

25.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$65.8 MX$1,140

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$846 MX$14.7K

-27.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$826 MX$14.3K

-47.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,201 MX$38.1K

-4.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,482 MX$25.7K

1.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$3,853 MX$66.8K

-2.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$2,199 MX$38.1K

18.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$805 MX$14.0K

-36.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.5

-53.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 58% higher in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – so Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,504 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 352% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $130 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.