Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ecatepec Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ecatepec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,175 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,897 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,620 in Ecatepec, rent included.

Phuket costs about 6% more than Ecatepec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Ecatepec are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ecatepec 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$13.27 MX$233

-65.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$46.90 MX$823

-1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$9.16 MX$161

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.51 MX$61.6

-12.82%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.35 MX$23.72

-45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.99 MX$17.37

-59.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.99 MX$52.5

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.71 MX$82.5

-19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.38 MX$24.14

63.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.67 MX$46.89

-32.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.87 MX$32.84

20.32%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.56 MX$44.83

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.07 MX$142

141.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.34 MX$146

-56.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.67 MX$205

11.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.89 MX$50.7

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.72 MX$30.09

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.08 MX$36.45

14.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.99 MX$34.90

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.85 MX$32.43

-17.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.29 MX$40.21

-34.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.46 MX$25.58

-32.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.07 MX$18.80

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.13 MX$72.4

7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$16.83 MX$295

8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.69 MX$29.66

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.69 MX$64.8

-27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.60 MX$10.50

135.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$29.36 MX$515

-60.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.63 MX$28.62

90.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.30 MX$5.27

246.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$5.49 MX$96.2

157.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.26 MX$22.16

3.97%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$18.2K MX$319.0K

52.97%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.7K MX$380.7K

53.03%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$40.12 MX$704

205.18%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.43 MX$376

-36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$29.95 MX$525

-37.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$25.02 MX$439

141.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$10.71 MX$188

58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.21 MX$109

46.05%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$341 MX$5,973

107.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,633 MX$63.7K

334.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$57.6 MX$1,010

1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$45.16 MX$792

-21.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$103 MX$1,804

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$107 MX$1,885

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$508 MX$8,905

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$392 MX$6,880

13.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$918 MX$16.1K

122.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$756 MX$13.3K

97.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$808 MX$14.2K

330.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$798 MX$14.0K

222.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$576 MX$10.1K

-13.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.5

-53.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ecatepec: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $508 in Ecatepec. 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 15% higher in Ecatepec, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Ecatepec. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $280 in Ecatepec – so Ecatepec wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ecatepec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,175 in Ecatepec – roughly 6% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,762 in Ecatepec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ecatepec, 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $47.00 in Ecatepec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $1,175 in Ecatepec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Ecatepec 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 $1,175 in Ecatepec 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 Ecatepec. 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.