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 $700 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,148 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,597 in El Viejo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 76% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, El Viejo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$4.97 NIO 183

-6.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$35.56 NIO 1,307

31.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.10 NIO 261

24.51%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.43 NIO 89.4

23.46%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.84 NIO 30.75

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.74 NIO 27.26

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.33 NIO 49.01

83.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.06 NIO 75.6

75.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.26 NIO 46.42

79.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.46 NIO 90.4

-25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.80 NIO 66.1

24.44%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.24 NIO 82.5

3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.39 NIO 419

72.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.54 NIO 240

-44.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.95 NIO 292

64.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.01 NIO 147

-15.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.89 NIO 32.76

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.78 NIO 65.6

35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.25 NIO 82.8

-9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$3.99 NIO 147

-60.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.20 NIO 80.8

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.06 NIO 39.15

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.01 NIO 36.95

-51.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.72 NIO 100

63.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$14.78 NIO 543

27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.42 NIO 52.0

25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.24 NIO 82.2

22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.48 NIO 54.4

110.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.89 NIO 253

104.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.36 NIO 49.94

-0.74%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.9K NIO 842.5K

18.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.8K NIO 986.2K

22.72%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$99.6 NIO 3,660

25.51%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.05 NIO 627

-20.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$37.08 NIO 1,363

-50.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$8.14 NIO 299

12.90%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$122 NIO 4,502

470.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,932 NIO 218.1K

162.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$76.7 NIO 2,819

-24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$72.3 NIO 2,656

-51.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$133 NIO 4,881

-14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$106 NIO 3,897

-18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in El Viejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $262 per month, with El Viejo cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,050 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 $698 in Phuket versus $122 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 $36.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $700 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 76% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.