Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and El Valle de Anton

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,356 in El Valle de Anton, rent and utilities included – about $940 less a year. The total is higher in El Valle de Anton despite lower rent and utilities.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in El Valle de Anton
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El Valle de Anton Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

El Valle de Anton

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,356

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in El Valle de Anton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in El Valle de Anton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,356 in El Valle de Anton.

Phuket $1,278
El Valle de Anton $1,356

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,116 in El Valle de Anton.

Phuket $2,216
El Valle de Anton $2,116

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,875 in El Valle de Anton.

Phuket $3,154
El Valle de Anton $2,875

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in El Valle de Anton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$11.66 PAB 11.66

-61.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$46.97 PAB 46.97

-31.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.85 PAB 7.85

12.23%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$4.23 PAB 4.23

-33.10%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-55.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-69.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$3.24 PAB 3.24

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$3.95 PAB 3.95

-6.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.90 PAB 1.90

-12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$2.54 PAB 2.54

-42.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.51 PAB 3.51

-57.26%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.72 PAB 2.72

-23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$12.30 PAB 12.30

55.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$6.58 PAB 6.58

-49.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.71 PAB 10.71

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$4.02 PAB 4.02

-27.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.95 PAB 1.95

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.26 PAB 4.26

-47.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$4.05 PAB 4.05

-48.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$3.44 PAB 3.44

-56.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$4.29 PAB 4.29

-67.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$2.35 PAB 2.35

-54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$1.73 PAB 1.73

-69.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$5.84 PAB 5.84

-28.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$11.54 PAB 11.54

62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.42 PAB 1.42

28.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$2.75 PAB 2.75

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.45 PAB 2.45

23.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-44.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$22.23 PAB 22.23

-83.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$1.25 PAB 1.25

17.60%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$24.3K PAB 24.3K

9.99%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$20.7K PAB 20.7K

28.97%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$133 PAB 133

-27.45%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$27.67 PAB 27.67

-59.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$48.27 PAB 48.27

-65.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$8.53 PAB 8.53

-12.08%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$535 PAB 535

-11.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$9,776 PAB 9,776

15.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$67.7 PAB 67.7

-7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$48.90 PAB 48.90

-41.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$93.9 PAB 93.9

0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$112 PAB 112

-23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$570 PAB 570

25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$443 PAB 443

10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$1,008 PAB 1,008

91.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$861 PAB 861

66.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.39

-12.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for El Valle de Anton: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

El Valle de Anton

$443 32.6% 9.8% $48

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

El Valle de Anton

$325 24% 22.1% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

El Valle de Anton

$209 15.4% 67.7% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

El Valle de Anton

$145 10.7% 19% $23

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

El Valle de Anton

$206 15.2% 69.2% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

El Valle de Anton

$17 * 1.3% 79.3% $65

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

El Valle de Anton

$12 * 0.9% 83.5% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $570 in El Valle de Anton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $47 in El Valle de Anton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $325 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇦 El Valle de Anton

🕒 Local time

20:06 8:06 PM

08:06 8:06 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

146

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.11 PAB (1 PAB = 0.899 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket El Valle de Anton 18,170 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
El Valle de Anton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Valle de Anton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in El Valle de Anton. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $2,034 in El Valle de Anton to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $570 in El Valle de Anton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in El Valle de Anton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,356 in El Valle de Anton – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Phuket gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and El Valle de Anton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.