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 $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $798 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,218 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,639 in Laoag City, rent included.

Phuket costs about 59% 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

$4.70 ฿153

$3.63 ₱224

29.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$14.98 ₱924

202.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$3.30 ₱203

155.45%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.48 ₱153

18.15%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.78 ₱48.40

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.40 ₱24.52

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.35 ₱83.2

78.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.14 ₱132

73.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.89 ₱116

17.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.26 ₱77.6

45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.99 ₱61.0

119.19%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.23 ₱137

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.17 ₱504

141.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.50 ₱462

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.81 ₱482

73.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.97 ₱183

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.58 ₱97.7

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.66 ₱164

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.57 ₱96.7

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.20 ₱135

-30.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.59 ₱160

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.11 ₱68.5

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.77 ₱47.23

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.10 ₱191

42.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.15 ₱503

137.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.00 ₱61.9

78.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.06 ₱127

31.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.26 ₱15.97

426.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.84 ₱51.6

259.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.26 ₱16.15

280.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.16 ₱133

552.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.07 ₱66.0

27.10%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

6.74%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

60.22%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$114 ₱7,042

6.57%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$32.36 ₱1,996

-58.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$26.18 ₱1,615

-30.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$15.18 ₱936

296.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$4.49 ₱277

281.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.06 ₱374

43.40%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$150 ₱9,247

362.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,236 ₱261.2K

270.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.02 ₱2,776

32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$26.19 ₱1,615

32.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$76.2 ₱4,701

50.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$52.3 ₱3,224

59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$270 ₱16.7K

126.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$204 ₱12.6K

113.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$429 ₱26.5K

387.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$387 ₱23.9K

289.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,479 ₱152.9K

51.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,081 ₱66.6K

142.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$160 ₱9,882

217.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $270 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 217% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $223 – 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 59% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,197 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $798 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $150 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 $798, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $798 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 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.