Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leon Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $854 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,382 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,909 in Leon, rent included.

Phuket costs about 48% more than Leon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Leon are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Leon 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$13.24 MX$229

-64.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.05 MX$675

16.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.48 MX$112

30.09%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.71 MX$64.2

-21.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.58 MX$27.39

-56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.94 MX$16.23

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.76 MX$30.42

36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.07 MX$70.3

-8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.27 MX$22.05

75.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.96 MX$33.87

-6.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.14 MX$19.64

90.35%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.63 MX$28.22

35.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.27 MX$109

214.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.27 MX$91.2

-31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.93 MX$172

36.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.55 MX$26.77

111.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.87 MX$15.04

85.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.60 MX$10.45

301.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.51 MX$8.82

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.50 MX$25.95

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.89 MX$15.32

66.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.77 MX$13.34

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.00 MX$17.24

-49.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.20 MX$72.7

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$14.29 MX$247

35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.35 MX$23.29

31.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.85 MX$49.22

-4.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.73 MX$12.59

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$36.48 MX$631

-68.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.23 MX$55.9

-6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.89 MX$15.39

11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$13.09 MX$226

7.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.33 MX$23.09

2.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.2K MX$366.6K

33.07%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.1K MX$416.2K

36.73%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$21.30 MX$368

471.36%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$23.35 MX$404

-41.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.36 MX$387

-18.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$27.97 MX$484

115.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$16.14 MX$279

6.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.26 MX$73.7

103.99%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$215 MX$3,727

221.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,851 MX$49.3K

450.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$58.0 MX$1,003

2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$41.89 MX$725

-17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$51.7 MX$894

121.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$28.19 MX$488

195.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$211 MX$3,644

191.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$222 MX$3,839

96.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$391 MX$6,762

435.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$424 MX$7,340

255.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$572 MX$9,892

-11.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.67

-54.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Leon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $211 in Leon. 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 13% higher in Leon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $199 – making Leon 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 Leon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 48% more than Leon, 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 $1,281 in Leon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 47% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $39.00 in Leon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leon costs $854 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 Leon. 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.