Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Laoag City Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Laoag City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $807 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,230 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,653 in Laoag City, rent included.

Phuket costs about 55% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.59 ₱221

26.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$14.91 ₱918

209.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$3.23 ₱199

173.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.42 ₱149

26.45%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.84 ₱51.6

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.37 ₱22.53

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.30 ₱80.0

86.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.08 ₱128

81.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.91 ₱117

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.23 ₱75.6

47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.99 ₱60.8

127.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.25 ₱138

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.00 ₱493

143.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.73 ₱476

-52.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.76 ₱478

68.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.85 ₱175

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.54 ₱94.6

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.70 ₱166

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.57 ₱96.4

29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.24 ₱138

-31.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.52 ₱155

-40.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.06 ₱65.4

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.72 ₱44.39

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.09 ₱190

43.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.04 ₱495

127.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.96 ₱58.8

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.99 ₱123

34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.26 ₱15.97

442.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.84 ₱51.5

270.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.24 ₱14.75

333.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$2.14 ₱132

559.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.11 ₱68.6

18.02%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$26.8K ₱1.7M

3.69%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

64.24%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$114 ₱7,020

7.38%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$33.21 ₱2,045

-59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.54 ₱1,634

-29.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$15.11 ₱930

300.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$4.49 ₱276

278.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.03 ₱371

50.41%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$154 ₱9,464

359.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,390 ₱270.3K

260.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$45.83 ₱2,822

27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$26.79 ₱1,650

31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$74.0 ₱4,554

56.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$53.5 ₱3,295

56.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

135.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$200 ₱12.3K

122.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$421 ₱25.9K

384.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$401 ₱24.7K

272.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,361 ₱145.4K

47.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$916 ₱56.4K

181.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$164 ₱10.1K

205.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $266 in Laoag City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 205% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $222 – making Laoag City 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 55% more than Laoag City, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,210 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $807 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $154 in Laoag City. 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 Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $807 versus $1,250 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 Laoag City. 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.