😐A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $713 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,139 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,565 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 75% more than Hato Mayor del Rey, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Phuket and Hato Mayor del Rey are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Hato Mayor del Rey47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$2.84DOP 166
60.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,554
$26.65DOP 1,554
73.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿298
$6.56DOP 383
34.76%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$0.88DOP 51.0
247.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.42
$0.50DOP 29.08
46.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.40
$0.49DOP 28.49
-18.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.54DOP 148
-4.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.47DOP 202
8.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.13DOP 66.0
100.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.74DOP 101
4.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.58DOP 91.9
42.41%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.6
$1.20DOP 69.8
87.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.06DOP 412
176.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.31DOP 368
-42.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$10.88DOP 634
19.94%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.34DOP 195
-3.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.92DOP 53.5
76.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.2
$2.93DOP 171
-18.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.2
$2.00DOP 117
1.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.56DOP 149
-40.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.32DOP 135
-35.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.93
$1.12DOP 65.4
-12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.40
$0.97DOP 56.6
-46.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$5.62DOP 328
-21.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$17.00DOP 991
7.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.72DOP 159
-31.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.2
$3.17DOP 185
-15.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿394
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.33DOP 194
-6.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.08
$2.10DOP 123
-50.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿475
$6.02DOP 351
134.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.13
$1.28DOP 74.6
2.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿936.0K
$26.0KDOP 1.5M
6.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$31.4KDOP 1.8M
5.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,120
$51.9DOP 3,027
135.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$22.90DOP 1,335
-40.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$36.11DOP 2,106
-48.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,035
$33.45DOP 1,950
80.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿572
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$6.71DOP 391
35.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$268DOP 15.6K
164.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.8K
$8,063DOP 470.1K
96.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,970
$60.5DOP 3,528
-3.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,190
$52.0DOP 3,031
-31.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,885
$97.0DOP 5,656
19.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,818
$116DOP 6,763
-27.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.1K
$143DOP 8,343
337.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$64.0DOP 3,731
595.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.7K
$292DOP 17.0K
598.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$145DOP 8,440
930.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12.9
-58.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Hato Mayor del Rey: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $143 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $251 – making Hato Mayor del Rey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Hato Mayor del Rey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hato Mayor del Rey cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,070 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hato Mayor del Rey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Hato Mayor del Rey?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Hato Mayor del Rey?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Hato Mayor del Rey?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hato Mayor del Rey, where all-in costs run around $713, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Hato Mayor del Rey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Hato Mayor del Rey more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Hato Mayor del Rey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Hato Mayor del Rey?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hato Mayor del Rey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.