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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $726 in La Paz Centro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,135 in La Paz Centro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,544 in La Paz Centro.

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than in La Paz Centro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, La Paz Centro 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.79 NIO 175

-6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$34.59 NIO 1,267

31.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.85 NIO 251

27.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.45 NIO 89.7

21.22%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.80 NIO 29.18

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.69 NIO 25.45

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.34 NIO 48.91

88.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.98 NIO 72.7

89.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.22 NIO 44.79

76.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.45 NIO 89.8

-25.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.80 NIO 66.1

21.11%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.28 NIO 83.4

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.14 NIO 408

79.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.81 NIO 249

-46.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.01 NIO 294

69.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.79 NIO 139

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.89 NIO 32.43

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.79 NIO 65.5

30.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.18 NIO 79.8

-5.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$3.85 NIO 141

-59.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.16 NIO 79.1

-32.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.02 NIO 37.28

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.05 NIO 38.55

-54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.60 NIO 95.1

67.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$14.96 NIO 548

24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.44 NIO 52.9

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.19 NIO 80.4

21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.52 NIO 55.8

108.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.78 NIO 248

104.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.37 NIO 50.1

-2.19%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$23.3K NIO 854.7K

19.09%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.3K NIO 963.7K

26.85%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$97.9 NIO 3,587

25.64%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.28 NIO 633

-20.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$36.86 NIO 1,350

-50.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.88 NIO 289

12.56%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$124 NIO 4,528

456.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,081 NIO 222.7K

159.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$76.1 NIO 2,788

-22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$73.3 NIO 2,683

-52.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$133 NIO 4,864

-13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$109 NIO 3,989

-23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Paz Centro: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in La Paz Centro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $261 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,089 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 11% 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 $726 in La Paz Centro – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $726 in La Paz Centro versus $1,264 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 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.