Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Paz Centro Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Paz Centro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $704 in La Paz Centro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,141 in La Paz Centro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,578 in La Paz Centro.

Living in Phuket is roughly 79% more expensive than La Paz Centro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, La Paz Centro 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.87 NIO 178

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$35.07 NIO 1,284

32.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.09 NIO 260

19.46%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.37 NIO 86.8

27.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.85 NIO 30.97

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.73 NIO 26.83

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.28 NIO 46.83

94.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.04 NIO 74.8

79.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.27 NIO 46.65

71.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.42 NIO 88.7

-21.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.88 NIO 68.9

17.02%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.33 NIO 85.2

-4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.03 NIO 404

81.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.80 NIO 249

-46.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.01 NIO 293

65.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.88 NIO 142

-16.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.85 NIO 30.95

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.84 NIO 67.2

29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.18 NIO 79.9

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.99 NIO 146

-60.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.19 NIO 80.3

-32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.06 NIO 38.86

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.01 NIO 37.13

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.62 NIO 95.8

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$14.82 NIO 543

26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.41 NIO 51.5

24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.28 NIO 83.5

21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.47 NIO 53.9

113.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.99 NIO 256

97.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.34 NIO 49.20

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$22.6K NIO 827.4K

22.51%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$26.2K NIO 958.6K

29.38%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$99.7 NIO 3,650

24.01%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.04 NIO 624

-20.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$37.35 NIO 1,368

-49.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.12 NIO 297

12.56%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$125 NIO 4,577

462.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,881 NIO 215.4K

169.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$78.5 NIO 2,876

-24.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$71.9 NIO 2,635

-51.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$135 NIO 4,929

-14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$109 NIO 3,984

-22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Paz Centro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in La Paz Centro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $262 per month, with La Paz Centro 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 La Paz Centro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Paz Centro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,056 in La Paz Centro 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $704 in La Paz Centro – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $704 in La Paz Centro versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Paz Centro but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes La Paz Centro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, La Paz Centro is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and La Paz Centro 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 La Paz Centro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.