Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mambajao Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mambajao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $632 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,001 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,370 in Mambajao, rent included.

Phuket costs about 100% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.55 ₱95.6

203.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$26.49 ₱1,634

71.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.41 ₱272

91.16%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.04 ₱187

-3.62%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.41 ₱86.9

-51.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.77 ₱47.77

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.12 ₱69.2

115.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.72 ₱168

36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.33 ₱82.0

67.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.91 ₱55.9

101.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.88 ₱54.1

146.59%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.41 ₱87.0

56.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.94 ₱490

148.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.21 ₱260

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.56 ₱405

106.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.98 ₱184

10.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.35 ₱83.0

19.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.71 ₱167

-11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.59 ₱98.3

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.39 ₱147

-35.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.60 ₱161

-43.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.12 ₱68.9

-11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.72 ₱44.64

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.91 ₱180

51.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.16 ₱503

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.07 ₱66.2

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.30 ₱80.3

108.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.20 ₱12.31

585.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.82 ₱50.4

268.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.22 ₱13.52

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.17 ₱134

549.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.41 ₱86.8

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

4.09%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

63.03%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$84.0 ₱5,181

44.83%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$32.13 ₱1,981

-57.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.09 ₱1,362

-17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$33.64 ₱2,074

79.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$4.49 ₱277

281.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.87 ₱362

48.04%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$150 ₱9,227

363.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,285 ₱264.2K

266.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.28 ₱2,792

31.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$26.22 ₱1,617

32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$75.4 ₱4,648

52.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$53.3 ₱3,284

56.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$132 ₱8,138

364.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$87.0 ₱5,363

402.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$293 ₱18.1K

613.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$191 ₱11.8K

690.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,460 ₱151.7K

52.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$885 ₱54.6K

195.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$154 ₱9,498

229.86%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $132 in Mambajao. 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 230% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $188 – making Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 100% more than Mambajao, 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 $948 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $632 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $150 in Mambajao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Mambajao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mambajao costs $632 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 Mambajao. 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.