Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Imus Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Imus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $743 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,140 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,537 in Imus, rent included.

Phuket costs about 70% more than Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Imus 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.33 ₱265

3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$20.90 ₱1,279

118.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$3.16 ₱193

177.22%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.94 ₱180

1.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.88 ₱53.7

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.34 ₱21.02

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.27 ₱77.5

99.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.71 ₱166

38.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.08 ₱127

3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.20 ₱73.3

51.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.94 ₱57.8

131.91%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.94 ₱119

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.04 ₱431

184.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.29 ₱262

-15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.32 ₱448

85.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.37 ₱145

36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.58 ₱96.5

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.96 ₱181

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.71 ₱105

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.73 ₱106

-10.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$3.62 ₱222

-59.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.64 ₱100

-40.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.83 ₱50.9

-42.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.26 ₱200

33.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.12 ₱558

103.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.33 ₱81.5

39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.98 ₱121

33.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.42 ₱25.74

238.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.81 ₱49.65

291.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.24 ₱14.71

329.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.07 ₱127

571.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.15 ₱70.5

16.52%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$25.6K ₱1.6M

8.70%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$17.5K ₱1.1M

90.56%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$127 ₱7,750

-2.81%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$33.18 ₱2,031

-58.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$26.98 ₱1,651

-32.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$33.35 ₱2,042

81.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$4.33 ₱265

296.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.93 ₱424

27.99%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$81.7 ₱5,001

741.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,391 ₱268.8K

259.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$32.25 ₱1,974

83.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$30.09 ₱1,842

15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$68.7 ₱4,207

67.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$93.7 ₱5,737

-10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$133 ₱8,127

367.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$111 ₱6,792

302.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$220 ₱13.4K

826.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$188 ₱11.5K

697.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,098 ₱128.4K

64.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$984 ₱60.3K

157.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$179 ₱11.0K

175.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Imus: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $133 in Imus. 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 176% 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 $21.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $208 – making Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $743 in Imus – roughly 70% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,114 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imus, 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 $21.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 Imus, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Imus 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 $743 in Imus to $1,264 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 Imus. 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.