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

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 14.8% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 57.2% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 24.1% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 91.2% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.65 ฿149
$5.48 ₱324
-15.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.11 ฿1,474
$29.90 ₱1,769
54.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.74 ฿279
$4.20 ₱248
108.10%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ฿97.1
$3.83 ₱227
-20.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ฿23.03
$1.34 ₱79.5
-46.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿12.50
$0.39 ₱23.26
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 ฿78.0
$1.35 ₱79.7
80.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 ฿121
$2.12 ₱125
78.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 ฿68.6
$1.82 ₱108
17.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 ฿59.5
$1.21 ₱71.6
53.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ฿69.9
$1.80 ₱106
21.67%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿71.8
$2.60 ₱154
-13.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.73 ฿631
$8.21 ₱486
140.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.79 ฿121
$3.30 ₱195
14.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.55 ฿433
$8.29 ₱490
63.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 ฿104
$3.00 ₱178
8.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 ฿53.4
$0.74 ₱44.03
125.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿76.5
$2.69 ₱159
-11.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 ฿66.9
$2.16 ₱128
-3.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿48.88
$2.29 ₱135
-33.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 ฿48.27
$2.10 ₱124
-28.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿31.62
$1.11 ₱65.4
-10.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.46
$0.76 ₱45.18
-32.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿137
$2.83 ₱167
50.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.31 ฿649
$8.47 ₱501
139.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.3
$1.16 ₱68.4
54.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 ฿88.5
$1.96 ₱116
41.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 ฿44.89
$0.34 ₱20.04
311.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿374
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.4
$0.79 ₱46.67
293.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿31.80
$0.22 ₱12.99
350.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.73 ฿439
$2.11 ₱125
550.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ฿42.17
$1.08 ₱63.8
22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K ฿870.7K
$26.2K ₱1.5M
4.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K ฿1.1M
$20.4K ₱1.2M
67.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ฿3,849
$114 ₱6,728
5.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿445
$33.33 ₱1,972
-58.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿585
$32.00 ₱1,893
-42.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.9 ฿1,948
$33.58 ₱1,987
81.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.23 ฿551
$4.34 ₱257
297.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.71 ฿278
$6.06 ₱358
43.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.3K
$149 ₱8,827
367.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿503.0K
$4,301 ₱254.5K
265.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 ฿1,843
$45.17 ₱2,672
27.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.24 ฿1,095
$26.95 ₱1,595
27.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,618
$75.8 ₱4,483
49.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,711
$52.9 ₱3,128
60.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$604 ฿19.3K
$271 ₱16.0K
123.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 ฿13.9K
$175 ₱10.3K
149.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 ฿65.8K
$579 ₱34.3K
255.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,498 ฿47.9K
$392 ₱23.2K
282.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,252 ฿135.9K
$2,728 ₱161.4K
55.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,988 ฿95.5K
$636 ₱37.7K
369.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
El Nido
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$529 ฿16.9K
$270 ₱16.0K
95.72%
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: February 28, 2026

Last update for El Nido: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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