Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cagayan de Oro City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City: $771 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Cagayan de Oro City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Cagayan de Oro City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Cagayan de Oro City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $771 in Cagayan de Oro City.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Cagayan de Oro City $771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $1,141 in Cagayan de Oro City.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Cagayan de Oro City $1,141

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $1,511 in Cagayan de Oro City.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Cagayan de Oro City $1,511

Living in Phuket is roughly 57% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 43% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$3.68 ₱231
24.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$12.80 ₱806
153.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$3.05 ₱192
180.33%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$2.33 ₱147
16.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$0.76 ₱47.91
23.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.64 ₱39.98
-23.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$1.38 ₱86.9
87.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$1.98 ₱124
93.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.48 ₱93.4
17.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$0.89 ₱56.2
60.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$0.92 ₱58.0
66.30%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.17 ₱137
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$8.67 ₱546
120.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$3.29 ₱207
0.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$5.76 ₱363
93.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$2.05 ₱129
43.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.08 ₱68.3
55.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$2.38 ₱150
-3.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$1.14 ₱71.9
86.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$1.92 ₱121
-20.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$2.53 ₱159
-46.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$0.76 ₱47.87
47.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.48 ₱30.30
14.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$3.02 ₱190
41.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$3.97 ₱250
358.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.22 ₱77.0
42.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.93 ₱122
44.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$0.41 ₱25.99
441.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$9.84 ₱620
124.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$0.63 ₱39.57
361.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$0.21 ₱13.18
380.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$1.94 ₱122
97.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.08 ₱67.8
37.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$21.1K ₱1.3M
26.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$18.9K ₱1.2M
41.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$137 ₱8,600
-27.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$22.77 ₱1,433
-50.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$30.51 ₱1,921
-43.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$20.70 ₱1,303
152.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$2.87 ₱181
278.05%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$4.55 ₱286
66.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$66.4 ₱4,181
740.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$2,257 ₱142.1K
408.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$31.71 ₱1,997
98.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$13.08 ₱824
118.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$52.4 ₱3,300
83.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$39.65 ₱2,496
122.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$377 ₱23.8K
93.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$229 ₱14.4K
101.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$693 ₱43.7K
202.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$452 ₱28.5K
170.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,604 ₱101.0K
115.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$951 ₱59.9K
161.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cagayan de Oro City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$302 ₱19.0K
63.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.75
-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Cagayan de Oro City
$229 50.3% $231
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Cagayan de Oro City
$165 38.2% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Cagayan de Oro City
$190 48.3% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Cagayan de Oro City
$62 50.4% $62
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Cagayan de Oro City
$83 31.6% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Cagayan de Oro City
$30 55.8% $38
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Cagayan de Oro City
$13 66.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $377 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 63% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $165 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇭 Cagayan de Oro City
🕒 Local time
03:04 3:04 AM
04:04 4:04 AM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
728,402
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Cagayan de Oro City 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Cagayan de Oro City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Cagayan de Oro City?
Phuket and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,207 vs $771 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Cagayan de Oro City?
Average pay runs 63% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Cagayan de Oro City?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $377 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $771 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Cagayan de Oro City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Cagayan de Oro City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Cagayan de Oro City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Cagayan de Oro City?
Expats usually find Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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