Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mazatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mazatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,277 per month in Phuket vs $1,530 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Phuket vs $2,162 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Phuket vs $2,794 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Phuket is about 17% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 ฿153

$11.88 MX$203

-61.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.40 ฿1,138

$49.20 MX$840

-30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 ฿283

$8.88 MX$152

-3.60%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿98.4

$3.77 MX$64.4

-21.22%

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

$0.82 ฿27.10

$1.53 MX$26.18

-46.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ฿14.55

$1.15 MX$19.57

-61.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ฿81.3

$2.22 MX$37.95

10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿125

$2.87 MX$49.04

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿61.7

$1.70 MX$28.99

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.64

$2.77 MX$47.29

-46.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.6

$1.46 MX$24.97

6.85%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿72.7

$2.95 MX$50.3

-25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿648

$9.01 MX$154

117.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿116

$7.38 MX$126

-52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ฿372

$8.35 MX$143

34.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿97.2

$2.89 MX$49.29

1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.9

$1.74 MX$29.69

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.78 MX$30.35

27.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.2

$0.51 MX$8.64

315.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.70 MX$29.07

-9.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.24

$1.43 MX$24.39

-2.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.36

$1.67 MX$28.55

-34.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿148

$4.29 MX$73.2

4.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.89 ฿625

$16.68 MX$285

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 ฿62.2

$2.22 MX$37.98

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.0

$3.42 MX$58.5

-16.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 ฿77.3

$0.79 MX$13.55

194.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.38 ฿774

$43.18 MX$737

-45.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿97.4

$3.85 MX$65.7

-23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.17

$2.55 MX$43.61

-59.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.97

$1.51 MX$25.75

-3.97%

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

$26.8K ฿888.5K

$22.8K MX$389.7K

17.60%

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

$27.4K ฿906.1K

$25.8K MX$440.9K

6.00%

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

$105 ฿3,477

$61.9 MX$1,057

69.62%

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

$11.01 ฿364

$50.2 MX$857

-78.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.81 ฿590

$45.64 MX$779

-60.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 ฿1,775

$46.53 MX$794

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ฿258

$4.59 MX$78.4

69.93%

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

$565 ฿18.7K

$94.8 MX$1,619

495.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿379.7K

$2,137 MX$36.5K

436.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 ฿2,090

$67.6 MX$1,155

-6.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.09 ฿963

$28.74 MX$491

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 ฿3,285

$120 MX$2,052

-17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ฿3,017

$87.9 MX$1,500

3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.4K

$837 MX$14.3K

-11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.5K

$656 MX$11.2K

-23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 ฿69.3K

$1,323 MX$22.6K

58.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 ฿41.3K

$860 MX$14.7K

45.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 ฿116.9K

$1,651 MX$28.2K

113.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,542 ฿84.1K

$1,087 MX$18.6K

133.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 ฿16.9K

$559 MX$9,552

-8.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.6

-51.98%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 9, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $837 in Mazatlan. 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 9% higher in Mazatlan, 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 $34.00 in Phuket versus $49.00 in Mazatlan. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $252 in Mazatlan – so Mazatlan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,277 in Phuket, $1,530 in Mazatlan – roughly 20% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,915 per month in Phuket and $2,296 in Mazatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 85% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $565 per month in Phuket and $94.8 in Mazatlan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,277, than in Mazatlan at $1,530. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,277 in Phuket to $1,530 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.