Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manzanillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manzanillo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,242 in Phuket versus $1,192 in Manzanillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,515 in Manzanillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,837 in Manzanillo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 4% more expensive than in Manzanillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Manzanillo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿153

$11.48 MX$198

-59.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 ฿1,158

$35.06 MX$605

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 ฿285

$11.44 MX$197

-25.09%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ฿93.6

$3.62 MX$62.4

-22.10%

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

$0.78 ฿25.85

$1.35 MX$23.35

-42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.81

$1.26 MX$21.70

-61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿80.5

$2.62 MX$45.22

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$5.64 MX$97.3

-34.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.4

$1.42 MX$24.48

26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.69

$2.70 MX$46.61

-47.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.0

$1.45 MX$24.95

10.34%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿73.2

$2.13 MX$36.75

3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.64 ฿653

$7.15 MX$123

174.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿116

$5.91 MX$102

-40.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿374

$10.25 MX$177

9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿95.1

$2.64 MX$45.50

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.9

$1.57 MX$27.07

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿76.7

$1.60 MX$27.66

44.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿69.7

$1.76 MX$30.31

19.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.10

$2.68 MX$46.21

-44.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.71

$3.07 MX$52.9

-56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

$2.26 MX$39.08

-52.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.15

$1.45 MX$25.01

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿143

$5.95 MX$103

-27.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿621

$7.06 MX$122

164.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.4

$2.39 MX$41.26

-25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿92.1

$2.76 MX$47.61

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 ฿72.6

$0.81 MX$13.91

170.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿763

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.57 MX$44.31

17.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.85

$2.68 MX$46.23

-61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ฿130

$11.72 MX$202

-66.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.45

$1.56 MX$26.94

-8.33%

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

$27.2K ฿904.2K

$22.5K MX$388.0K

21.01%

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

$26.9K ฿893.1K

$25.0K MX$431.7K

7.42%

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

$102 ฿3,396

$70.4 MX$1,215

45.15%

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

$10.95 ฿364

$22.90 MX$395

-52.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 ฿567

$26.90 MX$464

-36.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ฿1,768

$68.6 MX$1,183

-22.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ฿369

$34.66 MX$598

-67.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿260

$4.29 MX$74.0

82.28%

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

$552 ฿18.3K

$201 MX$3,476

174.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿379.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,072

$47.02 MX$811

32.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ฿963

$30.58 MX$528

-5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,244

$83.6 MX$1,442

16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ฿2,935

$142 MX$2,447

-37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ฿24.8K

$701 MX$12.1K

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.0K

$403 MX$6,959

19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿118.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ฿16.9K

$409 MX$7,060

24.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.3

-50.71%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 3, 2026

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Phuket and $701 in Manzanillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Manzanillo. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $247, with Manzanillo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Manzanillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Manzanillo differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,242 vs $1,192 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $746 in Phuket versus $701 in Manzanillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,242 per month in Phuket versus $1,192 in Manzanillo – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,242 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Manzanillo 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 Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.