Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Durango Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Durango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $701 in Durango, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,142 in Durango, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,583 in Durango, rent included.

Phuket costs about 80% more than Durango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Durango are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Durango 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.96 MX$121

-32.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$28.88 MX$500

57.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.22 MX$177

-17.51%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.88 MX$32.65

55.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.16 MX$20.16

-40.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.75 MX$12.92

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.34 MX$23.23

79.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.70 MX$46.76

37.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.17 MX$20.27

90.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.33 MX$40.31

-21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.18 MX$20.40

83.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.23 MX$38.61

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.71 MX$134

156.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.46 MX$112

-43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.69 MX$151

55.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.47 MX$42.80

32.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.42 MX$24.61

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.72 MX$29.89

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.00 MX$17.35

108.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.31 MX$22.62

16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.18 MX$20.43

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.77 MX$13.43

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.11 MX$19.16

-54.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.67 MX$63.7

20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$14.37 MX$249

34.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.48 MX$25.69

20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.61 MX$45.29

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.61 MX$10.53

124.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.12 MX$19.42

169.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.59 MX$27.55

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.77 MX$135

81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.31 MX$22.63

3.82%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$17.5K MX$303.8K

60.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.6K MX$392.0K

45.44%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$32.34 MX$560

276.31%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$20.62 MX$357

-34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$26.43 MX$458

-30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$18.70 MX$324

222.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$9.45 MX$164

81.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.60 MX$45.02

234.23%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$174 MX$3,016

298.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,297 MX$39.8K

582.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$48.47 MX$840

22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$25.95 MX$450

33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$63.7 MX$1,103

79.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$79.1 MX$1,370

5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$287 MX$4,975

113.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$135 MX$2,331

224.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$499 MX$8,645

319.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$267 MX$4,633

464.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,959 MX$33.9K

91.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,085 MX$18.8K

141.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$557 MX$9,660

-8.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Durango: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $287 in Durango. 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 10% higher in Durango, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Durango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $227 – making Durango 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 Durango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $701 in Durango – roughly 80% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,052 in Durango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durango, 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $29.00 in Durango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Durango, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Durango 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 $701 in Durango to $1,265 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 Durango. 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.