Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Nido Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Nido

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 28% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 51.9% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 37.3% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 83.2% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ฿151
$5.22 ₱290
-10.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ฿1,502
$30.22 ₱1,682
53.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ฿280
$4.24 ₱236
104.01%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ฿100
$3.94 ₱220
-21.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿23.53
$1.35 ₱75
-45.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$0.82 ₱45.56
-54.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿77.4
$1.35 ₱75.4
77.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ฿117
$2.14 ₱119
69.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ฿72.5
$1.85 ₱103
21.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ฿58.2
$1.21 ₱67.5
48.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.3
$1.81 ₱101
23.76%
Eggs
$2.23 ฿72.1
$2.51 ₱140
-11.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ฿625
$8.16 ₱454
136.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿122
$3.47 ₱193
8.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿422
$8.22 ₱458
58.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿106
$2.87 ₱160
14.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$0.74 ₱40.98
120.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ฿77.7
$2.68 ₱149
-10.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.3
$2.09 ₱116
-4.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.62
$2.31 ₱129
-33.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿48.11
$2.09 ₱116
-28.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿32.87
$1.12 ₱62.2
-8.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.61
$0.73 ₱40.48
-34.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ฿140
$2.89 ₱161
49.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ฿702
$6.22 ₱346
248.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿57.3
$1.2 ₱66.8
47.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿90.4
$2.04 ₱114
36.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ฿43.74
$0.34 ₱18.92
297.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿380
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ฿102
$0.84 ₱46.64
275.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ฿32.3
$0.24 ₱13.43
316.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ฿442
$2.17 ₱121
528.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ฿42.2
$1.03 ₱57.4
26.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿885.2K
$26.2K ₱1.5M
4.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$20.1K ₱1.1M
68.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,970
$114 ₱6,344
7.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿451
$32.49 ₱1,809
-57.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ฿590
$32.26 ₱1,796
-43.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ฿1,966
$33.76 ₱1,880
79.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ฿554
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿294
$5.8 ₱323
56.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ฿22.5K
$155 ₱8,610
348.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿514.4K
$4,265 ₱237.5K
272.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ฿1,861
$46.04 ₱2,563
24.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ฿1,117
$26.66 ₱1,484
29.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,727
$75.6 ₱4,211
52.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,743
$53.8 ₱2,993
57.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ฿19.8K
$270 ₱15K
126.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ฿14.3K
$177 ₱9,860
149.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ฿65.2K
$592 ₱33K
240.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ฿47.2K
$402 ₱22.4K
263.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ฿137.3K
$2,167 ₱120.6K
95.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ฿93.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ฿22.5K
$277 ₱15.4K
151.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
6.67
-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for El Nido: October 28, 2025

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