Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cienfuegos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cienfuegos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,164 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,662 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,159 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

Phuket costs about 7% more than Cienfuegos, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Cienfuegos are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cienfuegos 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.70 CUP 209

-47.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$25.22 CUP 605

83.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$6.27 CUP 151

40.99%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.98 CUP 47.43

54.55%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$4.13 CUP 99.1

-82.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.02 CUP 24.40

-60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.31 CUP 31.47

85.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.65 CUP 39.54

129.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.05 CUP 49.28

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.68 CUP 16.22

166.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.47 CUP 35.39

53.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.59 CUP 86.2

-37.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.95 CUP 94.9

393.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.63 CUP 87.2

0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.04 CUP 169

85.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.65 CUP 112

-30.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.22 CUP 29.16

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.41 CUP 33.88

68.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.64 CUP 39.28

23.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.59 CUP 38.23

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.01 CUP 48.28

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.73 CUP 17.47

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.81 CUP 19.39

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.47 CUP 59.2

79.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.44 CUP 155

184.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.93 CUP 46.32

-3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.93 CUP 46.33

38.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.36 CUP 8.69

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$19.73 CUP 474

-40.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.97 CUP 23.33

220.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.49 CUP 11.70

112.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$13.57 CUP 326

3.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.24 CUP 29.66

5.65%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$50.0K CUP 1.2M

-44.34%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$63.4K CUP 1.5M

-47.58%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$34.30 CUP 823

256.97%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$40.11 CUP 963

-66.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$250 CUP 5,990

-92.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$39.42 CUP 946

53.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$10.16 CUP 244

67.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$1.03 CUP 24.67

780.58%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$109 CUP 2,613

548.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$10.2K CUP 244.8K

54.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$35.22 CUP 845

66.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$27.29 CUP 655

29.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$58.6 CUP 1,407

96.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$52.3 CUP 1,256

59.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$366 CUP 8,782

70.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$371 CUP 8,915

19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,006 CUP 24.1K

102.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$605 CUP 14.5K

146.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$346 CUP 8,315

905.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$242 CUP 5,805

965.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$38.02 CUP 912

1214.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $366 in Cienfuegos. 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 1215% higher in Phuket, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Cienfuegos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $191 – making Cienfuegos 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 Cienfuegos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,164 in Cienfuegos – roughly 7% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,746 in Cienfuegos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 69% less in Cienfuegos. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $109 in Cienfuegos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cienfuegos, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Cienfuegos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $1,164 in Cienfuegos to $1,250 in Phuket. 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 Cienfuegos. 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.