Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Canelones Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Canelones

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,064 in Canelones, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $2,271 in Canelones, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Phuket vs $3,477 in Canelones, rent included.

Phuket costs about 18% more than Canelones, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Canelones are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Canelones 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$16.35 UYU 656

-72.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$55.5 UYU 2,227

-16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$12.43 UYU 499

-30.41%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$4.14 UYU 166

-25.36%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$2.25 UYU 90.1

-69.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$1.77 UYU 71.2

-79.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$4.28 UYU 172

-43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.60 UYU 144

5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.23 UYU 49.34

77.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$2.88 UYU 115

-36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$1.66 UYU 66.8

31.33%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$4.71 UYU 189

-52.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$13.74 UYU 551

45.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$10.67 UYU 428

-65.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$10.95 UYU 440

23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.00 UYU 120

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.45 UYU 98.6

-31.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$1.51 UYU 60.8

54.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$3.74 UYU 150

-45.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.06 UYU 82.8

-22.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.94 UYU 77.7

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$1.37 UYU 55.0

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-71.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$5.20 UYU 209

-14.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$8.83 UYU 354

110.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$2.38 UYU 95.6

-24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$3.01 UYU 121

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$1.24 UYU 49.62

14.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$44.19 UYU 1,774

-74.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.45 UYU 58.2

113.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.52 UYU 60.9

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$11.16 UYU 448

22.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$1.90 UYU 76.2

-31.05%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

-20.78%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

-10.32%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$171 UYU 6,878

-28.12%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$16.69 UYU 670

-17.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$50.1 UYU 2,011

-63.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$10.46 UYU 420

-15.01%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$483 UYU 19.4K

42.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

$8,929 UYU 358.4K

74.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$93.9 UYU 3,770

-38.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$46.99 UYU 1,886

-26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$112 UYU 4,493

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$121 UYU 4,866

-29.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$985 UYU 39.6K

107.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$1,174 UYU 47.1K

28.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

$3,982 UYU 159.8K

-10.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$878 UYU 35.2K

-42.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.68

-6.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Canelones: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Canelones, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $55.0 in Canelones. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $320 – making Phuket 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 Canelones: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,597 in Canelones. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $55.0 in Canelones. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $1,064 in Canelones. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Canelones, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Canelones it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Canelones – 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 Canelones. 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.