Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Colima Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Colima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $914 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,488 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,062 in Colima.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than Colima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.24 MX$108

-24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$31.19 MX$540

45.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.01 MX$139

5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.14 MX$36.95

36.92%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.81 MX$14.04

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.54 MX$9.39

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.70 MX$29.47

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.84 MX$49.18

30.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.32 MX$22.90

68.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.52 MX$43.58

-27.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.32 MX$22.87

64.39%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.29 MX$39.57

-3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.91 MX$102

234.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.87 MX$136

-53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.72 MX$168

39.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.86 MX$49.39

14.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.35 MX$23.35

19.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.49 MX$25.72

61.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.22 MX$38.41

-6.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.76 MX$30.52

-13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.32 MX$40.13

-36.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.33 MX$23.01

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.09 MX$18.83

-53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.51 MX$60.8

25.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.78 MX$117

185.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.63 MX$28.13

9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.94 MX$33.52

39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.65 MX$11.32

110.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$19.15 MX$331

-40.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.36 MX$40.90

27.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.53 MX$26.55

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.43 MX$146

67.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.33 MX$22.98

2.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$22.4K MX$387.3K

25.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.6K MX$372.9K

52.62%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$62.6 MX$1,082

94.53%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$19.75 MX$342

-31.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$30.68 MX$531

-40.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$34.00 MX$588

77.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$20.99 MX$363

-18.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.58 MX$79.3

89.74%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$142 MX$2,449

389.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,404 MX$41.6K

552.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$46.41 MX$803

28.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$28.23 MX$488

23.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.6 MX$1,464

35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$99.2 MX$1,715

-16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$509 MX$8,798

20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$247 MX$4,274

76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$333 MX$5,759

529.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$536 MX$9,265

181.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$300 MX$5,186

69.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.07

-51.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Colima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $509 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $232 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Colima differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $914 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 69% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $509 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 68% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $142 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $914 in Colima versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Colima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.