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 $1,310 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,130 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,951 in Leon, rent included.

Phuket is about 3% cheaper than Leon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Leon are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Leon 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$13.41 MX$227

-65.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$58.4 MX$990

-44.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.46 MX$161

-8.25%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.36 MX$74.0

-33.49%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.45 MX$24.63

-42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.18 MX$20.06

-58.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.53 MX$59.9

-29.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.12 MX$69.8

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.84 MX$31.14

2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.99 MX$50.6

-52.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.88 MX$31.81

-13.83%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.54 MX$60.0

-36.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.83 MX$133

153.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$8.41 MX$143

-58.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$12.05 MX$204

-5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.64 MX$44.78

9.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.44 MX$24.37

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.88 MX$31.91

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.61 MX$27.30

32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.26 MX$38.34

-34.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.19 MX$37.11

-35.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.47 MX$24.86

-25.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.75 MX$12.75

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.99 MX$84.6

-13.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.97 MX$254

24.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.47 MX$41.90

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.95 MX$67.0

-24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.86 MX$14.51

161.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$38.63 MX$655

-39.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.91 MX$49.34

6.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.01 MX$51.1

-64.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$16.16 MX$274

-76.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.54 MX$26.09

-7.14%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$22.6K MX$383.6K

22.87%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$26.1K MX$442.3K

3.50%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$23.17 MX$393

352.31%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$44.43 MX$754

-74.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$61.4 MX$1,042

-71.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$64.6 MX$1,096

-15.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$37.34 MX$633

-69.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.97 MX$118

11.62%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$199 MX$3,379

189.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,148 MX$70.4K

179.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$60.1 MX$1,019

5.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$69.9 MX$1,186

-58.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$108 MX$1,834

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$128 MX$2,170

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$565 MX$9,583

29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$386 MX$6,553

29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$837 MX$14.2K

154.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$735 MX$12.5K

70.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$577 MX$9,783

-11.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.6

-51.98%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Leon: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $565 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 14% higher in Leon, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $285 – making Phuket 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

Leon costs about 4% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,965 in Leon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in Leon, 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $58.0 in Leon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Leon at $1,310. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,310 in Leon. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.