Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $798 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,215 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,631 in Iligan City, rent included.

Phuket costs about 57% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Iligan City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.54 ₱218

28.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$17.48 ₱1,076

164.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$3.40 ₱209

160.00%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.37 ₱146

29.11%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.83 ₱50.9

-12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.39 ₱24.17

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.29 ₱79.4

88.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.14 ₱132

76.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.24 ₱138

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.27 ₱78.4

42.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.01 ₱62.3

122.77%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.02 ₱124

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.18 ₱504

138.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.79 ₱295

-23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.70 ₱474

69.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.98 ₱184

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.52 ₱93.5

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.71 ₱167

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.55 ₱95.3

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.29 ₱141

-33.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.52 ₱155

-40.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.06 ₱65.5

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.77 ₱47.17

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.82 ₱174

57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.98 ₱491

129.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.16 ₱71.2

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.06 ₱127

30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.26 ₱15.96

442.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.77 ₱47.25

303.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.22 ₱13.53

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$2.18 ₱134

547.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.13 ₱69.8

15.93%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

6.35%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

59.84%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$114 ₱7,021

7.37%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$33.09 ₱2,037

-58.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$27.79 ₱1,711

-32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$34.06 ₱2,097

77.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$4.47 ₱275

279.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.92 ₱365

53.21%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$152 ₱9,357

364.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,350 ₱267.8K

263.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$44.89 ₱2,764

30.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$26.15 ₱1,610

35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$75.6 ₱4,656

52.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$53.0 ₱3,263

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$268 ₱16.5K

133.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$175 ₱10.8K

154.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$581 ₱35.7K

251.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$389 ₱24.0K

283.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,656 ₱163.5K

31.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,087 ₱66.9K

137.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$198 ₱12.2K

152.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $268 in Iligan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $213 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $798 in Iligan City – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,197 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $17.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $798 in Iligan City to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. 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.