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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $780 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,254 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,728 in El Viejo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 58% more expensive than in El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, El Viejo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.11 NIO 370

-56.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$37.45 NIO 1,372

-13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.48 NIO 274

19.39%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.54 NIO 93.0

14.17%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.85 NIO 30.98

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.73 NIO 26.90

-34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.40 NIO 51.4

67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.95 NIO 71.3

90.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.23 NIO 44.99

52.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.40 NIO 88.0

-38.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.76 NIO 64.5

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.38 NIO 87.2

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.60 NIO 425

68.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.78 NIO 248

-49.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.29 NIO 267

56.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.61 NIO 132

-17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.63 NIO 22.97

166.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.85 NIO 67.7

19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.28 NIO 83.6

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.85 NIO 141

-60.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.16 NIO 79.0

-37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.00 NIO 36.66

13.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.03 NIO 37.71

-46.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.72 NIO 99.5

56.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$14.52 NIO 532

31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.47 NIO 53.8

21.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.27 NIO 83.1

22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.61 NIO 59.0

88.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.60 NIO 58.5

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.62 NIO 242

-41.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.33 NIO 48.71

12.03%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$22.5K NIO 825.7K

17.91%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$26.8K NIO 980.7K

0.94%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$118 NIO 4,313

-12.99%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$16.92 NIO 620

-33.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$36.25 NIO 1,328

-52.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.74 NIO 320

-12.01%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$233 NIO 8,544

140.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$6,018 NIO 220.4K

91.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$71.0 NIO 2,600

-11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$73.7 NIO 2,698

-59.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$133 NIO 4,878

-26.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$109 NIO 4,003

-19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.25

-45.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in El Viejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $257, with El Viejo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Viejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,170 in El Viejo 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.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $233 in El Viejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $780 in El Viejo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Viejo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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

Expats usually find El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.