Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isla de Margarita Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isla de Margarita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $648 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,204 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,760 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Phuket costs about 90% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.13 VES 8,587

-56.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$78.8 VES 66.8K

-59.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.46 VES 2,081

17.89%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$1.02 VES 867

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$1.51 VES 1,281

-68.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.03 VES 871

128.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.96 VES 2,512

25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$2.05 VES 1,739

-8.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$2.92 VES 2,473

-49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.95 VES 1,648

-20.51%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.42 VES 2,054

-13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$7.91 VES 6,700

147.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.03 VES 6,806

-57.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.04 VES 6,813

41.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$4.08 VES 3,454

-26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.46 VES 1,233

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.94 VES 1,645

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.54 VES 2,149

-14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.48 VES 1,251

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$1.77 VES 1,499

-24.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$1.02 VES 867

10.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$4.90 VES 4,154

289.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$0.97 VES 823

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$1.49 VES 1,261

86.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.04 VES 2,578

-0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$2.98 VES 2,525

-65.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

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

$102 ฿3,414

$30.33 VES 25.7K

237.85%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$15.19 VES 12.9K

-25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$40.72 VES 34.5K

-57.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

$50.4 VES 42.7K

3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$14.84 VES 12.6K

-25.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.15 VES 4,361

49.32%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$78.9 VES 66.9K

-20.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$102 VES 86.2K

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$99.1 VES 84.0K

-10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$297 VES 251.8K

148.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

$497 VES 421.4K

323.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

$605 VES 512.5K

498.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $297 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $234 in Isla de Margarita – so Isla de Margarita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $971 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Isla de Margarita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Isla de Margarita. 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.