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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $823 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $1,306 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,788 in El Nido, rent included.

Phuket costs about 54% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and El Nido are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, El Nido 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$5.17 ₱311

-9.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$30.48 ₱1,834

52.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$4.26 ₱256

103.76%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$3.98 ₱239

-25.88%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.36 ₱82.0

-48.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.40 ₱24.00

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$1.36 ₱82.1

86.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.08 ₱125

81.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.82 ₱110

21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.22 ₱73.3

47.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.73 ₱104

26.59%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.60 ₱156

-11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$8.16 ₱491

137.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.31 ₱199

13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$8.31 ₱500

59.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.00 ₱181

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$0.69 ₱41.33

139.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$2.71 ₱163

-15.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$2.11 ₱127

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.21 ₱133

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$2.11 ₱127

-28.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.11 ₱66.7

-7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.71 ₱42.79

-28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$2.80 ₱168

57.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$9.10 ₱548

113.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.16 ₱70.1

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.06 ₱124

30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.37 ₱22.04

286.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.78 ₱46.89

289.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.22 ₱13.15

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$2.10 ₱127

551.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.04 ₱62.5

25.00%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

3.26%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

64.03%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$114 ₱6,885

7.49%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$32.43 ₱1,952

-57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$31.75 ₱1,911

-40.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$34.21 ₱2,059

78.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$4.42 ₱266

280.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$5.88 ₱354

50.85%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$153 ₱9,236

353.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$4,376 ₱263.4K

266.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$46.35 ₱2,789

27.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$26.35 ₱1,586

32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$75.6 ₱4,551

49.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$53.7 ₱3,232

58.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$263 ₱15.8K

134.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$179 ₱10.8K

149.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$580 ₱34.9K

259.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$400 ₱24.1K

273.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$2,567 ₱154.5K

45.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$262 ₱15.7K

103.95%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for El Nido: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $263 in El Nido. 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 104% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $30 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $206 – making El Nido 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 El Nido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $823 in El Nido – roughly 54% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,235 in El Nido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Nido, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Phuket and $823 in El Nido. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $153 in El Nido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Phuket at $1,270. In El Nido 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 $823 in El Nido to $1,270 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 El Nido. 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.