Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chimaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chimaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $730 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,212 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,694 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Phuket costs about 73% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Chimaltenango 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.08 Q 38.72

-7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$50.8 Q 387

-10.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.44 Q 49.03

30.90%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.30 Q 25.10

-11.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.23 Q 9.40

-43.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.91 Q 6.95

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.29 Q 25.10

-26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.69 Q 35.71

-20.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.09 Q 15.95

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.03 Q 23.06

-39.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.06 Q 15.69

5.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.65 Q 20.19

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.75 Q 59.0

154.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.38 Q 63.8

-56.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.58 Q 88.2

16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.69 Q 28.10

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.57 Q 11.95

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.01 Q 22.95

-19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.78 Q 13.53

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.69 Q 12.84

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.36 Q 18.01

-37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.75 Q 5.68

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.23 Q 9.35

-58.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.73 Q 28.45

18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.28 Q 63.1

134.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.62 Q 12.36

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.41 Q 18.36

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$5.19 Q 39.56

-41.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.60 Q 4.56

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$15.64 Q 119

-9.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.11 Q 8.46

22.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.9K Q 151.5K

41.77%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.9K Q 189.9K

31.97%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$80.2 Q 611

51.76%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$26.30 Q 200

-48.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$48.04 Q 366

-61.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.22 Q 55.0

20.36%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$244 Q 1,855

184.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,786 Q 44.1K

171.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$49.30 Q 376

20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$52.3 Q 398

-33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$118 Q 897

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$120 Q 913

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.9

-40.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $51.0 in Chimaltenango. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $276 in Chimaltenango – so Chimaltenango 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 Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 73% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,094 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $51.0 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $730 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chimaltenango. 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.