Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Merced Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Merced

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $525 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $874 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,223 in La Merced, rent included.

Phuket costs about 141% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, La Merced 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.28 PEN 14.54

9.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$32.88 PEN 112

37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.91 PEN 23.49

22.00%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.65 PEN 9.00

10.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.61 PEN 2.08

-39.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.16 PEN 7.33

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.99 PEN 13.57

-6.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.43 PEN 4.86

55.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.93 PEN 6.55

-5.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.26 PEN 4.30

72.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.17 PEN 7.39

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.81 PEN 23.18

189.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.46 PEN 18.57

-33.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.25 PEN 28.06

64.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.90 PEN 3.06

264.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.40 PEN 1.36

302.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.29 PEN 0.99

731.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.71 PEN 2.42

192.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.29 PEN 1.00

427.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.41 PEN 1.38

260.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.58 PEN 1.97

70.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-44.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.69 PEN 19.37

-22.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.23 PEN 24.60

168.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.71 PEN 5.81

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.92 PEN 9.94

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.37 PEN 11.48

-10.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-55.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.48 PEN 28.86

66.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.29 PEN 4.40

5.43%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

46.23%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.4K PEN 83.0K

34.88%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$57.0 PEN 194

113.43%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$12.81 PEN 43.59

5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$24.02 PEN 81.7

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.78 PEN 23.08

28.17%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$217 PEN 737

220.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,005 PEN 27.2K

95.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.58 PEN 169

20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$35.87 PEN 122

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$92.1 PEN 313

24.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$88.6 PEN 301

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.11

-47.28%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for La Merced: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in La Merced. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $175 – making La Merced the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 La Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 141% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $788 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $525 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $217 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Phuket at $1,265. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $525 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 La Merced. 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.