Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cholula Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cholula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $998 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,578 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,158 in Cholula, rent included.

Phuket costs about 23% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Cholula are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cholula 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$12.39 MX$217

-62.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$46.84 MX$820

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.78 MX$136

13.62%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.67 MX$64.2

-18.26%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.19 MX$20.89

-37.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.92 MX$16.08

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.34 MX$40.92

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.31 MX$75.4

-16.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.50 MX$26.26

50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.68 MX$46.88

-31.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.57 MX$27.50

42.68%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.41 MX$42.16

-3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$6.98 MX$122

181.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.34 MX$111

-42.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.13 MX$195

17.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.48 MX$43.42

36.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.41 MX$24.67

16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.72 MX$30.07

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.78 MX$31.22

14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.74 MX$30.37

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.89 MX$33.10

-20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.28 MX$22.32

-20.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.10 MX$19.21

-55.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.31 MX$75.3

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$14.60 MX$256

29.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.31 MX$22.89

35.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.81 MX$49.21

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.64 MX$11.27

118.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$15.99 MX$280

-28.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.08 MX$54.0

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.23 MX$21.55

-18.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$10.54 MX$185

33.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.31 MX$22.95

3.05%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.7K MX$344.8K

37.95%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.3K MX$355.3K

62.15%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$63.3 MX$1,108

97.35%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$22.29 MX$390

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$25.16 MX$440

-26.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$36.58 MX$640

68.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$15.78 MX$276

6.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.37 MX$93.9

71.14%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$315 MX$5,508

121.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,565 MX$62.4K

337.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$50.0 MX$876

15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$42.68 MX$747

-17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$108 MX$1,895

4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$99.8 MX$1,746

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$378 MX$6,609

63.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$255 MX$4,466

74.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$520 MX$9,097

293.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$391 MX$6,840

281.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,972 MX$34.5K

91.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,263 MX$22.1K

109.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$865 MX$15.1K

-39.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.25

-52.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cholula: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $378 in Cholula. 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 65% higher in Cholula, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Cholula. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $249 in Cholula – so Cholula 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 Cholula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 23% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,497 in Cholula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $47.00 in Cholula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $998 in Cholula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $998 versus $1,232 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 Cholula. 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.