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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,114 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,772 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,429 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Phuket is roughly 11% more expensive than in Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Isla Mujeres 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.42 MX$180

-57.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$38.22 MX$658

-15.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.86 MX$135

13.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.24 MX$55.9

-10.49%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$1.27 MX$21.95

-30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$0.98 MX$16.93

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.24 MX$38.51

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.83 MX$66.0

-2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.44 MX$24.87

29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$2.63 MX$45.30

-44.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.63 MX$28.08

-4.91%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.38 MX$40.94

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$7.82 MX$135

150.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.97 MX$137

-57.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$10.59 MX$182

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$2.66 MX$45.90

12.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.41 MX$24.28

19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.71 MX$29.37

29.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.69 MX$29.10

27.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.85 MX$31.84

-17.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$2.00 MX$34.46

-33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$1.26 MX$21.79

-10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$1.01 MX$17.47

-45.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.30 MX$74.0

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$10.95 MX$189

74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.54 MX$26.47

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$2.77 MX$47.74

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

$0.62 MX$10.64

259.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.64 MX$45.40

14.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$1.61 MX$27.74

-36.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.06 MX$139

-51.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.26 MX$21.78

18.25%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$21.1K MX$362.8K

26.18%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$22.6K MX$388.9K

19.70%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$57.1 MX$983

79.58%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$22.24 MX$383

-49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$28.23 MX$486

-38.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

$37.06 MX$638

40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$15.64 MX$269

-29.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.54 MX$78.1

69.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$205 MX$3,529

173.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$3,564 MX$61.4K

222.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$53.6 MX$923

17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$39.48 MX$680

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$91.0 MX$1,568

7.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$79.3 MX$1,365

11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$503 MX$8,669

46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$399 MX$6,881

20.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

$933 MX$16.1K

125.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$760 MX$13.1K

61.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

$1,735 MX$29.9K

108.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,157 MX$19.9K

124.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.48

-51.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $503 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Isla Mujeres. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $251, with Isla Mujeres cheaper for home cooking.

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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,114 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,672 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: $738 in Phuket versus $503 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,114 in Isla Mujeres – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,114 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,232 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 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.