Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lucena Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lucena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $636 in Lucena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,023 in Lucena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,410 in Lucena, rent included.

Phuket costs about 99% more than Lucena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Lucena are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Lucena 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.52 ₱95.5

206.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$19.60 ₱1,229

64.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$1.70 ₱107

410.59%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$1.33 ₱83.2

118.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$0.34 ₱21.04

147.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.29 ₱18.24

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$1.35 ₱84.4

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.34 ₱84.3

178.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.73 ₱109

9.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$1.18 ₱74.1

19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.86 ₱54.2

88.37%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.80 ₱113

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.86 ₱430

189.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.28 ₱268

-18.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$6.93 ₱434

64.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$4.06 ₱254

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.39 ₱87.3

23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$3.50 ₱219

-35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$1.13 ₱71.1

88.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$2.36 ₱148

-37.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$3.47 ₱217

-59.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$1.40 ₱87.7

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$0.93 ₱58.1

-35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.73 ₱171

57.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.43 ₱466

150.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$1.34 ₱83.7

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$1.77 ₱111

67.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.27 ₱17.06

733.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$11.34 ₱711

107.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$0.76 ₱47.84

307.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$0.23 ₱14.44

369.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$2.63 ₱165

47.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$1.15 ₱71.9

24.35%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$21.3K ₱1.3M

30.48%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

42.41%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$47.96 ₱3,007

118.52%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$6.27 ₱393

81.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$11.40 ₱715

53.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$32.64 ₱2,046

66.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$4.76 ₱299

140.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.30 ₱458

6.58%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$73.2 ₱4,587

687.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$2,486 ₱155.9K

365.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$35.67 ₱2,237

78.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$22.68 ₱1,422

28.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$79.4 ₱4,978

21.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$77.3 ₱4,847

16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$270 ₱16.9K

171.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$169 ₱10.6K

196.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$491 ₱30.8K

332.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$353 ₱22.2K

254.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$2,551 ₱159.9K

38.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$1,045 ₱65.5K

151.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$316 ₱19.8K

60.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lucena: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $270 in Lucena. 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 61% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Lucena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $207 – making Lucena 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 Lucena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $636 in Lucena – roughly 99% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $954 in Lucena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $73.2 in Lucena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucena, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Lucena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $636 in Lucena to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lucena. 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.