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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $714 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,146 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,577 in El Viejo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 71% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, El Viejo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$4.97 NIO 182

-9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$34.48 NIO 1,263

35.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$7.16 NIO 262

18.58%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.45 NIO 89.7

25.71%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.86 NIO 31.36

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.69 NIO 25.15

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.34 NIO 49.15

81.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.03 NIO 74.5

78.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.26 NIO 46.09

73.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.36 NIO 86.3

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.80 NIO 66.0

23.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.26 NIO 82.7

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$11.19 NIO 410

75.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$6.44 NIO 236

-42.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$7.84 NIO 287

71.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.79 NIO 139

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.83 NIO 30.31

95.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.78 NIO 65.3

35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.28 NIO 83.6

-12.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$3.90 NIO 143

-60.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$2.18 NIO 79.9

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.06 NIO 38.87

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.01 NIO 36.82

-52.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.73 NIO 99.9

56.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$14.57 NIO 534

31.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.47 NIO 53.7

25.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.26 NIO 82.8

21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.46 NIO 53.4

105.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$6.83 NIO 250

103.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.34 NIO 49.24

-3.73%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$23.4K NIO 857.1K

19.79%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$26.0K NIO 950.9K

29.04%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$97.7 NIO 3,577

24.92%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$16.74 NIO 613

-16.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$37.73 NIO 1,382

-49.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.94 NIO 291

11.96%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$126 NIO 4,618

448.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$5,918 NIO 216.8K

173.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$78.2 NIO 2,863

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$71.6 NIO 2,621

-50.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$131 NIO 4,809

-13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$107 NIO 3,902

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in El Viejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $257 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,071 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 $691 in Phuket versus $126 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 $34.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $714 in El Viejo versus $1,223 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 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.