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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,116 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,774 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,431 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Phuket is roughly 10% more expensive than Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Isla Mujeres 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$10.70 MX$184

-57.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$38.51 MX$663

21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.05 MX$138

5.47%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.35 MX$57.6

-8.06%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.28 MX$22.10

-46.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.91 MX$15.71

-60.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.24 MX$38.60

8.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.89 MX$66.9

-6.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.48 MX$25.53

47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.55 MX$43.84

-29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.55 MX$26.59

43.87%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.31 MX$39.67

-3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$8.24 MX$142

137.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$8.06 MX$139

-53.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$10.70 MX$184

25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.57 MX$44.24

30.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.38 MX$23.74

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.73 MX$29.72

39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.66 MX$28.48

19.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.93 MX$33.13

-20.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$2.02 MX$34.75

-28.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.21 MX$20.82

-16.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.02 MX$17.47

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.07 MX$70.1

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$11.03 MX$190

73.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.56 MX$26.88

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.86 MX$49.19

-4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.62 MX$10.61

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.53 MX$43.59

18.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.59 MX$27.32

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$8.45 MX$145

64.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.25 MX$21.54

3.20%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$21.3K MX$366.9K

31.48%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.9K MX$393.2K

46.61%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$56.0 MX$963

117.94%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$22.27 MX$383

-37.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$27.65 MX$476

-31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$36.19 MX$623

69.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$16.03 MX$276

5.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$4.61 MX$79.3

92.84%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$203 MX$3,496

240.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,664 MX$63.0K

341.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$53.0 MX$912

9.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.74 MX$684

-10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$90.3 MX$1,554

25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$78.3 MX$1,348

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$513 MX$8,823

18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$397 MX$6,839

12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$926 MX$15.9K

119.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$772 MX$13.3K

93.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,765 MX$30.4K

103.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,184 MX$20.4K

118.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $513 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $252 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $1,116 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,674 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: $607 in Phuket versus $513 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $1,116 in Isla Mujeres – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,116 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,223 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 10% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.