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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $749 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,143 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,536 in Imus, rent included.

Phuket costs about 68% more than Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Imus 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.55 ₱276

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$21.41 ₱1,300

117.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.13 ₱190

170.61%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.85 ₱173

6.32%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.82 ₱49.82

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.37 ₱22.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.27 ₱77.2

96.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.64 ₱160

38.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.10 ₱128

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.26 ₱76.4

50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.94 ₱56.9

134.04%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.95 ₱118

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.13 ₱433

180.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.37 ₱266

-16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$6.98 ₱424

89.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.29 ₱139

41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.51 ₱92.0

12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$3.02 ₱184

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.63 ₱99.2

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.74 ₱106

-8.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$3.47 ₱211

-57.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.59 ₱96.4

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.82 ₱49.81

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.10 ₱189

37.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.08 ₱551

106.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.40 ₱85.2

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.96 ₱119

40.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.43 ₱25.95

216.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.84 ₱50.9

273.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.24 ₱14.65

333.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.19 ₱133

528.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.11 ₱67.5

20.72%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$25.7K ₱1.6M

7.76%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$17.8K ₱1.1M

90.36%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$127 ₱7,720

-2.79%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$32.32 ₱1,962

-58.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$27.03 ₱1,641

-30.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$33.48 ₱2,033

84.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$4.55 ₱276

279.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.00 ₱425

30.57%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$82.1 ₱4,986

755.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,263 ₱258.9K

272.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$32.41 ₱1,968

83.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$29.40 ₱1,785

19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$68.4 ₱4,156

68.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$92.8 ₱5,633

-9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$134 ₱8,138

361.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$112 ₱6,776

287.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$217 ₱13.2K

848.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$188 ₱11.4K

702.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,740 ₱166.4K

33.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$962 ₱58.4K

172.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$178 ₱10.8K

185.23%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Imus: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $134 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 185% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $749 in Imus – roughly 68% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,124 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 $47.00 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 41% 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 $749, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $749 in Imus to $1,261 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.