Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,188 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,011 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,833 in Makati.

Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.53 ₱403

-30.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.00 ₱2,775

2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.79 ₱295

84.55%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.95 ₱182

3.73%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.20 ₱73.9

-39.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.58 ₱35.49

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.34 ₱144

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.56 ₱220

6.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.14 ₱132

5.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.43 ₱88.3

26.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.11 ₱68.7

102.70%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.33 ₱144

-3.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.99 ₱493

144.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.52 ₱279

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.71 ₱475

69.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.54 ₱280

-28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.98 ₱122

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.72 ₱168

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.28 ₱141

-10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.45 ₱212

-55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.80 ₱173

-46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.14 ₱70.1

-14.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.99 ₱60.8

-47.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.99 ₱185

48.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.01 ₱494

128.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.25 ₱77.0

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.24 ₱138

19.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.51 ₱31.62

176.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$3.58 ₱221

226.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.76 ₱47.13

309.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.13 ₱8.21

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.45 ₱212

308.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.15 ₱71.1

13.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$34.1K ₱2.1M

-18.34%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

50.81%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$170 ₱10.5K

-27.84%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$27.66 ₱1,706

-50.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$35.79 ₱2,207

-47.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$54.8 ₱3,376

10.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.03 ₱742

41.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.20 ₱506

10.61%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$324 ₱20.0K

117.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$7,680 ₱473.6K

105.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$58.9 ₱3,634

-0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$35.88 ₱2,213

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$84.1 ₱5,183

37.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$124 ₱7,622

-32.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$657 ₱40.5K

-4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$390 ₱24.1K

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$2,273 ₱140.2K

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,008 ₱62.2K

48.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$6,013 ₱370.8K

-42.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,732 ₱230.2K

-30.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$605 ₱37.3K

-17.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $657 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $235 per month, with Makati 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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Makati. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $657 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,188 in Makati – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 227% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,188 in Makati versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,188 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

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

Expats usually find Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.