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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $773 in La Paz Centro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,234 in La Paz Centro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,695 in La Paz Centro.

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than in La Paz Centro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, La Paz Centro 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.93 NIO 364

-55.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$38.14 NIO 1,397

-15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.52 NIO 276

18.75%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.49 NIO 91.2

16.47%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.83 NIO 30.25

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.69 NIO 25.22

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.39 NIO 50.9

69.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.97 NIO 72.0

88.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.22 NIO 44.83

53.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$2.43 NIO 88.9

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.78 NIO 65.3

-12.92%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.32 NIO 84.8

-9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$11.67 NIO 428

67.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.42 NIO 235

-46.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.35 NIO 269

54.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$3.75 NIO 137

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.57 NIO 20.98

194.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.75 NIO 64.0

26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.26 NIO 82.7

-4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$3.84 NIO 141

-60.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$2.25 NIO 82.5

-40.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.99 NIO 36.34

14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$1.07 NIO 39.27

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.59 NIO 94.7

64.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$14.79 NIO 542

29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.45 NIO 53.3

22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.22 NIO 81.3

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.67 NIO 61.0

81.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.60 NIO 58.5

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.95 NIO 255

-44.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.36 NIO 49.85

9.56%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$23.4K NIO 856.8K

13.63%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$26.8K NIO 981.0K

0.91%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$119 NIO 4,345

-13.62%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$17.31 NIO 634

-34.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$36.25 NIO 1,328

-52.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.66 NIO 317

-11.20%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$233 NIO 8,543

140.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$6,125 NIO 224.3K

87.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$72.6 NIO 2,657

-13.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$72.1 NIO 2,641

-59.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$132 NIO 4,831

-25.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$108 NIO 3,943

-17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.25

-45.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for La Paz Centro: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in La Paz Centro. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $257, with La Paz Centro 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 La Paz Centro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Paz Centro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,159 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 7% 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 $773 in La Paz Centro – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in La Paz Centro versus $1,232 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 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.