Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cancun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cancun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,365 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,243 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,121 in Cancun, rent included.

Phuket is about 7% cheaper than Cancun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Cancun is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$13.37 MX$231

-64.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$53.7 MX$928

-15.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.13 MX$175

-16.78%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.44 MX$59.5

-14.83%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.58 MX$27.37

-56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.90 MX$15.58

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.04 MX$52.6

-20.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.48 MX$77.4

-16.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.43 MX$24.78

55.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.54 MX$43.94

-27.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.93 MX$33.40

12.44%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.63 MX$45.41

-15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.32 MX$196

74.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.69 MX$150

-58.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.72 MX$185

26.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.25 MX$56.1

0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.57 MX$27.13

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.14 MX$54.3

-23.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.20 MX$38.04

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.14 MX$37.01

-28.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.31 MX$39.97

-35.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.08 MX$18.61

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.28 MX$22.14

-60.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.20 MX$72.6

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.25 MX$177

89.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.68 MX$28.99

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.62 MX$45.24

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.60 MX$10.42

128.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$60.6 MX$1,048

-81.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$4.21 MX$72.8

-28.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.48 MX$42.83

-60.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.97 MX$172

41.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.33 MX$23.01

2.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$30.5K MX$528.1K

-7.63%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.1K MX$416.6K

36.60%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$116 MX$2,000

5.28%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$23.15 MX$400

-41.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.11 MX$625

-49.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$25.40 MX$439

137.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$24.07 MX$416

-28.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.06 MX$105

43.40%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$197 MX$3,413

251.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,199 MX$89.9K

201.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$53.9 MX$932

10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$39.89 MX$690

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$82.7 MX$1,430

38.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$112 MX$1,930

-25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$616 MX$10.7K

-0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$459 MX$7,931

-4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,267 MX$21.9K

65.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,012 MX$17.5K

49.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,189 MX$37.9K

71.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,287 MX$39.6K

14.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$803 MX$13.9K

-36.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $616 in Cancun. 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 Cancun, 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 Cancun. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $282 in Cancun – so Cancun 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 Cancun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,365 in Cancun – roughly 8% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,048 in Cancun. 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.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $197 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Cancun – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,365 in Cancun. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cancun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.