Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ensenada Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ensenada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,049 in Ensenada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,602 in Ensenada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,155 in Ensenada.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ensenada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ensenada 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$10.62 MX$186

-57.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$32.37 MX$568

42.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.23 MX$127

22.27%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.01 MX$52.8

1.66%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.12 MX$19.58

-34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.72 MX$12.60

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.58 MX$45.20

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.04 MX$70.9

-6.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.64 MX$28.76

37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.47 MX$43.33

-26.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.72 MX$30.18

30.81%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.86 MX$50.2

-21.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.35 MX$129

165.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.95 MX$86.8

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.46 MX$166

37.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.94 MX$34.03

66.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.52 MX$26.62

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.65 MX$28.93

44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.51 MX$26.55

34.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.68 MX$29.50

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.74 MX$30.60

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.05 MX$18.45

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.95 MX$16.72

-45.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.88 MX$68.1

14.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.51 MX$149

115.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.48 MX$25.94

25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.32 MX$40.62

15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.76 MX$13.31

85.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.17 MX$38.07

43.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.53 MX$26.80

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$3.22 MX$56.4

338.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.28 MX$22.38

2.34%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$20.8K MX$364.9K

33.69%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.6K MX$360.6K

61.59%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$56.2 MX$986

117.83%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$20.19 MX$354

-32.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$28.12 MX$493

-33.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$65.3 MX$1,146

-7.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$15.91 MX$279

6.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.44 MX$77.8

104.28%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$186 MX$3,261

279.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$2,786 MX$48.9K

467.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$43.08 MX$756

35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$35.64 MX$625

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$87.3 MX$1,530

32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$56.6 MX$992

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$505 MX$8,856

23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$344 MX$6,031

29.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,021 MX$17.9K

99.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$625 MX$11.0K

138.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,422 MX$24.9K

144.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$724 MX$12.7K

256.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$676 MX$11.9K

-26.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.33

-52.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ensenada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $505 in Ensenada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ensenada pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Ensenada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $221 per month, with Ensenada 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 Ensenada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Ensenada differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,049 including rent). Ensenada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Ensenada. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $505 in Ensenada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,049 in Ensenada – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,049 in Ensenada versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ensenada but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ensenada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Ensenada 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 Ensenada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.