Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luquillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luquillo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,266 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,029 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,792 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Luquillo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Luquillo 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$19.32 $19.32

-76.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$74.3 $74.3

-38.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$7.66 $7.66

14.36%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$3.54 $3.54

-16.10%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$1.27 $1.27

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$1.09 $1.09

-64.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$3.03 $3.03

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.98 $1.98

89.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$2.52 $2.52

-14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$3.23 $3.23

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$2.20 $2.20

-0.91%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$5.98 $5.98

-62.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$8.99 $8.99

122.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.24 $8.24

-55.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$12.66 $12.66

7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$5.74 $5.74

-43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$2.66 $2.66

-38.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$3.79 $3.79

-38.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$4.14 $4.14

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.93 $3.93

-60.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$2.60 $2.60

-43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.49 $1.49

-34.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$1.93 $1.93

-75.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$12.16 $12.16

-64.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$12.23 $12.23

51.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.58 $2.58

-27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$3.29 $3.29

-19.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$60.6 $60.6

-80.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.52 $1.52

-32.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$15.10 $15.10

-8.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$0.79 $0.79

69.62%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.67%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.0K $27.0K

23.79%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$225 $225

-45.42%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$80.1 $80.1

-82.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$74.8 $74.8

-75.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$36.78 $36.78

65.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$11.94 $11.94

-25.71%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$463 $463

48.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$10.5K $10.5K

50.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$46.30 $46.30

28.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$56.2 $56.2

-38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$80.1 $80.1

43.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$106 $106

-21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$812 $812

-23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$1,800 $1,800

12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$2,998 $2,998

-83.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.73

12.68%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Luquillo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $812 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 507% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $74.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $367 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Luquillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 507% lower in Luquillo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $812 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 424% less than in Luquillo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Luquillo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,266 in Luquillo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Luquillo. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Luquillo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Luquillo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Luquillo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.