Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isla de Margarita

For one person, living is cheaper in Isla de Margarita: $654 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Isla de Margarita, Venezuela
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Isla de Margarita
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$654
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Isla de Margarita

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Isla de Margarita actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $654 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Isla de Margarita $654

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,221 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Isla de Margarita $1,221

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,788 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Isla de Margarita $1,788

Phuket costs about 98% more than Isla de Margarita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Isla de Margarita are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Isla de Margarita 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$9.83 VES 8,778
-55.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,080
$81.0 VES 72.3K
-60.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿291
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.1
$2.55 VES 2,279
6.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.11
$0.98 VES 875
-5.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.70
$1.47 VES 1,317
-65.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.6
$0.98 VES 876
158.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$3.04 VES 2,715
19.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.96 VES 1,746
-11.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.51
$2.96 VES 2,640
-51.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$2.05 VES 1,834
-26.83%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.6
$2.45 VES 2,184
-11.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿638
$7.93 VES 7,078
140.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$8.21 VES 7,326
-58.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$8.05 VES 7,186
35.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.3
$4.11 VES 3,669
-28.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.6
$1.51 VES 1,350
11.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.4
$1.99 VES 1,775
10.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.0
$2.55 VES 2,276
-16.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.77
$1.46 VES 1,304
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.74
$1.78 VES 1,593
-23.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.98
$1.02 VES 908
5.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿610
$4.98 VES 4,445
266.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.3
$0.97 VES 868
82.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.3
$1.54 VES 1,372
87.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.40
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,835
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.92 VES 2,610
-48.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.94
$2.97 VES 2,648
-73.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.74
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿898.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿881.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,271
$29.62 VES 26.4K
230.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿378
$14.73 VES 13.1K
-23.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿575
$40.41 VES 36.1K
-57.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,285
$49.69 VES 44.4K
37.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
$15.05 VES 13.4K
-27.44%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$4.99 VES 4,450
48.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿628.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,062
$78.7 VES 70.3K
-21.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿945
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,210
$101 VES 90.2K
-4.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,903
$99.8 VES 89.1K
-12.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$296 VES 264.0K
143.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.2K
$508 VES 453.9K
283.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.2K
$605 VES 540.3K
592.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Isla de Margarita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Isla de Margarita
–
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Isla de Margarita
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Isla de Margarita
–
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Isla de Margarita
–
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Isla de Margarita
–
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Isla de Margarita
–
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Isla de Margarita
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $296 in Isla de Margarita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $81 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Phuket vs $236 in Isla de Margarita – so Isla de Margarita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇻🇪 Isla de Margarita
🕒 Local time
10:30 10:30 AM
23:30 11:30 PM
11 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
90,387
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 893 VES (1,000 VES = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 1,002 VES (10,000 VES = 9.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Isla de Margarita 17,140 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Isla de Margarita

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Isla de Margarita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isla de Margarita cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $982 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Isla de Margarita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $296 there versus $721 in Phuket.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Isla de Margarita?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Isla de Margarita?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $81 in Isla de Margarita. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Isla de Margarita?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Isla de Margarita?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $654 in Isla de Margarita to $1,294 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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