Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Esmeraldas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Esmeraldas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $906 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,395 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,884 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Esmeraldas 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.94 $3.94

13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$33.64 $33.64

35.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.08 $4.08

114.71%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.79 $2.79

6.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.49 $0.49

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.48 $0.48

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.96 $1.96

29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.08 $4.08

-8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.02 $1.02

110.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.50 $1.50

21.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.80 $1.80

21.11%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.48 $1.48

52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.61 $8.61

132.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.90 $7.90

-54.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.29 $8.29

63.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.11 $2.11

53.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.17 $1.17

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.02 $1.02

128.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.32 $1.32

56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.44 $1.44

7.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.11 $1.11

31.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.52 $0.52

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.07 $1.07

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.04 $6.04

-27.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.84 $9.84

88.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.58 $1.58

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.86 $2.86

-7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.34 $0.34

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$23.75 $23.75

-51.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.47 $1.47

115.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.27 $1.27

-18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$9.95 $9.95

39.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.70 $0.70

91.43%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.8K $19.8K

40.27%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.7K $25.7K

30.11%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$34.10 $34.10

260.85%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$14.56 $14.56

-5.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$29.51 $29.51

-37.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$30.34 $30.34

100.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.75 $14.75

16.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.82 $6.82

30.06%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$279 $279

146.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,512 $8,512

85.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$57.6 $57.6

2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$43.19 $43.19

-19.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$103 $103

12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$84.5 $84.5

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$345 $345

79.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$312 $312

43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$619 $619

228.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$501 $501

198.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,080 $1,080

219.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$832 $832

204.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$456 $456

8.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.19

-52.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $345 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Esmeraldas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $211 per month, with Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $345 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in Esmeraldas versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.