Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $922 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Manila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $922 in Manila, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Manila $922

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,531 in Manila, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Manila $1,531

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $2,140 in Manila, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Manila $2,140

Phuket costs about 40% more than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$4.66 ₱293

-5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,078

$26.32 ₱1,657

22.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿290

$4.02 ₱253

116.42%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿90.9

$2.51 ₱158

8.37%

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

$0.93 ฿31.06

$1.37 ₱86.3

-32.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.67

$0.89 ₱55.9

-43.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$1.20 ₱75.3

110.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.34 ₱148

55.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.87 ₱118

-6.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$1.41 ₱88.7

2.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.1

$1.02 ₱64.0

47.06%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.5

$2.19 ₱138

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.47 ₱470

155.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿113

$4.86 ₱306

-30.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

$6.98 ₱440

56.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.2

$3.28 ₱206

-10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$1.81 ₱114

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.2

$2.90 ₱183

-24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.9

$1.91 ₱120

10.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.68

$2.30 ₱145

-36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.66

$2.69 ₱170

-49.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.91

$2.18 ₱137

-50.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.57 ₱36.10

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$3.07 ₱193

44.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿609

$9.34 ₱588

95.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$1.27 ₱80.2

39.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.2

$2.05 ₱129

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.33 ₱20.80

339.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,832

$12.80 ₱806

328.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.5

$0.78 ₱48.79

93.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.90

$0.20 ₱12.57

290.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

$1.85 ₱117

107.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.65

$1.31 ₱82.5

13.74%

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

$26.9K ฿897.3K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

29.43%

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

$26.3K ฿879.4K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

35.47%

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

$97.8 ฿3,265

$109 ₱6,877

-10.47%

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

$11.29 ฿377

$15.71 ₱989

-28.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿574

$24.58 ₱1,547

-30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,281

$41.75 ₱2,628

63.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

$5.84 ₱368

86.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

$6.42 ₱404

15.73%

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

$530 ฿17.7K

$606 ₱38.1K

-12.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿626.9K

$7,674 ₱483.0K

144.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,059

$55.8 ₱3,515

10.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿943

$28.57 ₱1,799

-1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,204

$68.9 ₱4,338

39.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,898

$58.3 ₱3,669

48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

$533 ₱33.5K

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

$289 ₱18.2K

75.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.1K

$1,916 ₱120.6K

1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.6K

$780 ₱49.1K

79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿139.9K

$4,078 ₱256.7K

2.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.1K

$2,432 ₱153.1K

35.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

$505 ₱31.8K

-2.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.43

-25.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Manila

$289 31.4% 43.2% $220

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Manila

$219 23.7% 18.1% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Manila

$150 16.2% 18.4% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Manila

$95 10.3% 22.4% $28

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Manila

$99 10.8% 17.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Manila

$55 5.9% 34.4% $29

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Manila

$16 1.7% 75.9% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $533 in Manila. 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 3% higher in Manila, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $219 – making Manila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

01:45 1:45 AM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 3 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.51 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.73 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Manila 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Manila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Phuket, $922 in Manila – Manila comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,383 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manila, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $533 there versus $721 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $922 in Manila. That makes Manila about 29% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manila costs $922 versus $1,294 in Phuket. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Manila is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 29% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.