Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ilopango Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ilopango

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,611 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,879 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,147 in Ilopango.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Ilopango is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.29 $3.29

40.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$45.71 $45.71

2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.98 $4.98

77.51%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.92 $2.92

2.74%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.93 $0.93

-20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.92 $0.92

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.99 $0.99

146.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.69 $1.69

113.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$3.35 $3.35

-32.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.49 $1.49

23.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.98 $2.98

-24.83%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.93 $2.93

-20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.92 $4.92

299.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.94 $5.94

-38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.81 $9.81

33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.03 $3.03

11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.04 $2.04

-19.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.04 $2.04

18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.97 $1.97

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.96 $1.96

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.01 $2.01

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.97 $0.97

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.01 $1.01

-51.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.10 $4.10

8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$12.06 $12.06

56.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.97 $0.97

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.03 $2.03

35.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.60 $0.60

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$34.76 $34.76

-66.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.04 $7.04

-55.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.17 $2.17

-53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.77 $4.77

195.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.68 $0.68

98.53%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.3K $20.3K

33.90%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.7K $25.7K

28.33%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$35.14 $35.14

255.66%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.81 $9.81

38.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$40.26 $40.26

-54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$39.88 $39.88

54.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$10.18 $10.18

65.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.10 $5.10

80.20%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$103 $103

575.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$1,951 $1,951

699.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$19.78 $19.78

192.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$29.89 $29.89

17.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$74.4 $74.4

52.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$58.9 $58.9

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$669 $669

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$1,027 $1,027

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$588 $588

248.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$626 $626

138.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,682 $1,682

124.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$959 $959

176.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,012 $1,012

-48.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $669 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays 93% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $250 per month, with Ilopango 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 Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ilopango earns 93% less. 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: $616 in Phuket versus $669 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $103 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,611 in Ilopango, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilopango, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ilopango 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.