Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isla Mujeres Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isla Mujeres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,760 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,407 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Isla Mujeres 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.69 MX$185

-58.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$39.03 MX$675

16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.73 MX$134

13.32%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.34 MX$57.8

-11.08%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.24 MX$21.50

-44.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.92 MX$15.85

-57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.23 MX$38.61

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.86 MX$66.9

-2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.47 MX$25.50

46.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.61 MX$45.21

-30.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.57 MX$27.24

38.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.32 MX$40.09

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.85 MX$136

154.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.91 MX$137

-54.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.47 MX$181

29.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.62 MX$45.36

23.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.38 MX$23.93

18.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.73 MX$29.91

34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.66 MX$28.72

24.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.89 MX$32.77

-17.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.95 MX$33.79

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.26 MX$21.76

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.02 MX$17.60

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.07 MX$70.4

6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.86 MX$188

70.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.59 MX$27.55

16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.73 MX$47.18

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.61 MX$10.52

132.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.63 MX$45.55

20.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.55 MX$26.81

-33.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$8.22 MX$142

68.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.27 MX$21.98

5.51%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$21.3K MX$369.3K

30.18%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.7K MX$392.2K

47.26%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$57.1 MX$987

115.69%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$21.85 MX$378

-36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$28.59 MX$495

-35.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.73 MX$635

65.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$15.70 MX$272

9.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.76 MX$82.3

86.34%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$206 MX$3,572

233.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,560 MX$61.6K

343.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$53.6 MX$928

10.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$39.79 MX$688

-12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$90.8 MX$1,570

26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$79.8 MX$1,381

4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$510 MX$8,824

21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$400 MX$6,921

11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$952 MX$16.5K

113.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$759 MX$13.1K

97.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,734 MX$30.0K

99.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,152 MX$19.9K

119.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.48

-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $510 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $250 per month, with Isla Mujeres cheaper across the board.

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 Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Isla Mujeres differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,113 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,669 in Isla Mujeres to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $510 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Isla Mujeres are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.