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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,047 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,702 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,357 in Colima.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Colima 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.79 MX$134

-43.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$35.34 MX$609

-8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.52 MX$130

18.75%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.29 MX$39.48

26.64%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.11 MX$19.14

-20.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.87 MX$14.92

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.39 MX$41.20

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.66 MX$45.90

39.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.50 MX$25.83

24.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.79 MX$48.06

-47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.45 MX$24.96

6.90%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.66 MX$45.93

-21.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.43 MX$163

107.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.98 MX$155

-61.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.67 MX$184

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.04 MX$52.4

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.64 MX$28.31

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.59 MX$44.74

-14.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.64 MX$45.58

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.45 MX$42.23

-37.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.55 MX$44.00

-47.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.53 MX$26.40

-26.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.21 MX$20.92

-54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.86 MX$66.5

10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.90 MX$154

114.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.96 MX$33.82

41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.71 MX$12.27

214.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$21.07 MX$363

7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.68 MX$46.26

13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.99 MX$51.6

-65.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$17.36 MX$299

-77.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.48 MX$25.47

0.68%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$22.8K MX$392.7K

16.69%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$23.8K MX$409.8K

13.73%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$69.0 MX$1,190

48.51%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$21.91 MX$378

-48.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$31.61 MX$545

-44.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$37.78 MX$651

37.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$23.40 MX$403

-52.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.90 MX$84.5

56.94%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$156 MX$2,691

259.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,644 MX$45.6K

335.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$47.30 MX$816

33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$31.77 MX$548

-7.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$83.4 MX$1,438

17.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$110 MX$1,893

-19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$280 MX$4,821

164.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$284 MX$4,901

69.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$394 MX$6,799

434.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$628 MX$10.8K

95.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$300 MX$5,180

64.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.3

-50.71%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Colima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $280 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 64% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $276 per month, with Phuket 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,047 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $280 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 8% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $156 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,047 in Colima versus $1,232 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.