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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $644 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $968 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,292 in Imus, rent included.

Phuket costs about 91% more than Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Imus 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.91 ₱246

12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$16.67 ₱1,047

93.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$2.77 ₱174

222.38%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.88 ₱118

54.26%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.60 ₱37.46

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.33 ₱20.96

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.03 ₱64.5

128.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.63 ₱102

128.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.65 ₱104

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.11 ₱69.5

32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.03 ₱64.8

50.49%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.01 ₱126

4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$5.13 ₱323

281.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.31 ₱208

3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.02 ₱504

41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.31 ₱145

29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.53 ₱96.2

9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.39 ₱150

-7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.85 ₱116

16.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.74 ₱109

-12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.79 ₱112

-25.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.65 ₱40.93

73.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 ₱30.88

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.12 ₱196

36.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.66 ₱544

120.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.10 ₱69.1

61.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.09 ₱131

33.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.27 ₱17.15

725.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$9.94 ₱625

128.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.83 ₱52.1

265.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.23 ₱14.45

343.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$1.94 ₱122

100.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.19 ₱74.5

25.21%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

26.56%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

41.29%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$121 ₱7,629

-15.62%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$15.14 ₱951

-25.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$23.27 ₱1,462

-25.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$32.28 ₱2,028

61.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$4.32 ₱271

156.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.31 ₱333

44.82%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$133 ₱8,330

322.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,841 ₱555.4K

30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$29.09 ₱1,828

116.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$19.58 ₱1,230

50.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$72.0 ₱4,521

36.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$56.7 ₱3,559

56.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$119 ₱7,453

522.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$97.5 ₱6,125

394.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$198 ₱12.4K

965.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$164 ₱10.3K

646.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$2,457 ₱154.4K

47.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,091 ₱68.6K

138.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$170 ₱10.7K

190.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Imus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $119 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 191% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $180 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $644 in Imus – roughly 91% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $966 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.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $17.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imus, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $644 in Imus to $1,232 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.