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 $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $742 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,159 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,576 in El Nido, rent included.

Phuket costs about 71% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and El Nido are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, El Nido 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.81 ₱301

-3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$29.51 ₱1,850

9.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$3.75 ₱235

131.47%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.14 ₱134

35.51%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.21 ₱75.9

-30.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.32 ₱19.76

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.17 ₱73.2

111.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.03 ₱127

83.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.47 ₱92.0

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.21 ₱76.0

16.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.29 ₱80.6

25.58%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.90 ₱119

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$5.82 ₱365

240.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.96 ₱248

-12.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.23 ₱453

57.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.44 ₱153

18.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.66 ₱104

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.12 ₱133

7.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.13 ₱70.8

88.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.04 ₱128

-27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.94 ₱122

-26.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.78 ₱49.06

41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.52 ₱32.45

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.79 ₱175

54.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.04 ₱441

164.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$0.90 ₱56.5

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.92 ₱120

54.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.27 ₱17.04

733.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$11.60 ₱727

102.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.82 ₱51.4

278.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.25 ₱15.56

332.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$2.10 ₱131

84.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.24 ₱78.0

15.32%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$24.5K ₱1.5M

13.38%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$17.2K ₱1.1M

56.99%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$139 ₱8,720

-24.66%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$14.38 ₱901

-20.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$24.35 ₱1,527

-27.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$30.35 ₱1,903

79.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$5.31 ₱333

115.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.64 ₱353

37.94%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$142 ₱8,882

306.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,588 ₱538.4K

34.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$28.53 ₱1,789

123.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$20.84 ₱1,306

39.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$64.3 ₱4,031

49.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$50.8 ₱3,186

77.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$266 ₱16.6K

176.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$157 ₱9,869

218.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$459 ₱28.8K

363.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$386 ₱24.2K

224.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,423 ₱151.9K

45.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$985 ₱61.8K

166.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$253 ₱15.8K

100.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for El Nido: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $266 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 101% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $176 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $742 in El Nido – roughly 71% 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 $1,113 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.

Public transport costs about 102% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $142 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 $742, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $742 in El Nido 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 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.