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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $912 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,467 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,022 in Colima.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.38 MX$112

-28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$31.42 MX$551

46.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.83 MX$137

12.90%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.09 MX$36.65

46.41%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.77 MX$13.55

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.51 MX$8.93

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.75 MX$30.63

38.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.72 MX$47.69

38.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.34 MX$23.47

68.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.60 MX$45.58

-30.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.38 MX$24.18

63.04%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.25 MX$39.40

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.93 MX$104

229.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.72 MX$135

-52.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.59 MX$168

36.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.75 MX$48.24

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.29 MX$22.62

25.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.51 MX$26.56

57.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.18 MX$38.32

-6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.79 MX$31.31

-14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.31 MX$40.50

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.33 MX$23.39

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.08 MX$19.01

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.61 MX$63.3

22.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.73 MX$118

172.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.56 MX$27.45

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.88 MX$32.89

42.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.60 MX$10.55

135.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$19.07 MX$335

-38.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.32 MX$40.74

34.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.53 MX$26.88

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$8.51 MX$149

65.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.28 MX$22.53

2.34%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$21.9K MX$383.6K

27.17%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.3K MX$373.2K

56.12%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$62.5 MX$1,096

95.87%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$19.09 MX$335

-28.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$30.93 MX$543

-39.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$34.04 MX$597

77.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$20.89 MX$366

-18.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.48 MX$78.5

102.46%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$141 MX$2,468

402.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$2,406 MX$42.2K

556.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$46.85 MX$822

24.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$27.87 MX$489

26.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$86.9 MX$1,525

32.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$98.1 MX$1,720

-14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$511 MX$8,957

22.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$255 MX$4,473

74.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$326 MX$5,717

525.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$551 MX$9,656

171.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$298 MX$5,234

67.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colima: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $511 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 68% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $231 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 37% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $912 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 68% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $511 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 63% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $141 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $912 in Colima versus $1,250 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 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.