Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maracaibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maracaibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $734 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,244 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,754 in Maracaibo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 72% more expensive than Maracaibo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Maracaibo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$10.37 VES 5,777

-54.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.97 VES 22.3K

13.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.82 VES 4,915

-4.42%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.65 VES 1,476

10.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.20 VES 671

-42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.30 VES 724

-71.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.32 VES 1,290

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.95 VES 1,643

26.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.79 VES 996

24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.94 VES 1,080

-5.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.09 VES 607

99.08%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.19 VES 1,775

-30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.95 VES 3,318

231.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.39 VES 3,003

-32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.08 VES 3,386

122.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.51 VES 2,513

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.38 VES 769

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.71 VES 954

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.47 VES 820

41.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.16 VES 649

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.62 VES 905

-8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.01 VES 564

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.60 VES 889

-68.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.43 VES 1,914

28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.97 VES 4,997

116.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.06 VES 591

67.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.64 VES 1,473

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.51 VES 287

168.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$41.83 VES 23.3K

-72.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$4.11 VES 2,290

-26.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.95 VES 1,087

-49.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$17.77 VES 9,900

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.48 VES 269

183.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$22.2K VES 12.4M

27.03%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.0K VES 17.3M

6.12%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$16.22 VES 9,038

650.31%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.02 VES 5,028

50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.85 VES 14.4K

-29.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$34.34 VES 19.1K

75.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$23.43 VES 13.1K

-26.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.04 VES 2,807

72.42%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$112 VES 62.5K

518.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$13.9K VES 7.8M

12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$41.75 VES 23.3K

42.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.17 VES 23.5K

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$57.8 VES 32.2K

98.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$60.3 VES 33.6K

38.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$180 VES 100.5K

239.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$101 VES 56.0K

334.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$330 VES 183.7K

535.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$209 VES 116.6K

621.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$759 VES 423.0K

393.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$502 VES 279.5K

421.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$196 VES 109.5K

158.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

26.6

-79.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $180 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 159% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Maracaibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $221 per month, with Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 159% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $180 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $112 in Maracaibo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Maracaibo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maracaibo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Maracaibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.