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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $800 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,376 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,952 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 54% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Esmeraldas 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.90 $3.90

13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$53.7 $53.7

-39.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.90 $3.90

128.97%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.41 $3.41

-14.96%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.51 $0.51

72.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.49 $0.49

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.55 $3.55

-33.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.38 $5.38

-30.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.98 $0.98

90.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.59 $1.59

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.55 $1.55

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.46 $1.46

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.33 $6.33

209.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.73 $5.73

-40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.63 $7.63

49.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.31 $2.31

29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.23 $1.23

36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.28 $1.28

72.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.08 $1.08

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.23 $1.23

23.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.07 $1.07

25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.51 $0.51

121.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.05 $1.05

-47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.13 $6.13

-30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.15 $10.15

88.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.52 $1.52

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.18 $3.18

-12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.31 $0.31

619.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$17.98 $17.98

26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.46 $1.46

107.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.26 $1.26

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$10.04 $10.04

-61.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.87 $0.87

71.26%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$21.1K $21.1K

26.04%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$28.0K $28.0K

-3.47%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$28.70 $28.70

257.04%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$17.85 $17.85

-36.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$28.97 $28.97

-39.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$30.52 $30.52

70.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$18.70 $18.70

-40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.76 $6.76

13.76%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$219 $219

155.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,918 $8,918

29.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$64.5 $64.5

-2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$48.75 $48.75

-39.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$113 $113

-13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$108 $108

-18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$298 $298

148.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$187 $187

158.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$650 $650

224.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$405 $405

202.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,107 $1,107

226.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$731 $731

256.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$444 $444

11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.12

-44.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $298 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 11% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Esmeraldas. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $193, with Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $298 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $54.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $800 in Esmeraldas versus $1,232 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 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.