Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Negros Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Negros

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $786 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,216 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,646 in Negros, rent included.

Phuket costs about 61% more than Negros, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Negros 42% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$3.59 ₱218
27.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$13.32 ₱809
250.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$3.12 ₱190
171.47%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$1.58 ₱95.9
91.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$0.33 ₱20.16
109.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.46 ₱27.81
-19.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$1.29 ₱78.4
93.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$2.09 ₱127
75.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$2.24 ₱136
-2.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$1.52 ₱92.1
25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$1.17 ₱71.0
88.03%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$2.31 ₱140
-3.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$12.73 ₱773
57.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$5.34 ₱324
-31.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$7.65 ₱465
73.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$3.50 ₱212
-7.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$1.46 ₱88.9
16.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$3.27 ₱198
-26.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$2.24 ₱136
-7.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$2.68 ₱163
-40.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$2.49 ₱151
-40.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$0.92 ₱55.9
11.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.84 ₱51.2
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$3.15 ₱191
34.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$6.57 ₱399
186.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$1.21 ₱73.6
45.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$2.34 ₱142
17.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Negros
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.26 ₱15.65
423.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$0.89 ₱53.9
252.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$0.25 ₱15.25
316.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$2.59 ₱157
431.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.15 ₱69.5
16.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$29.6K ₱1.8M
-6.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$27.4K ₱1.7M
23.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$97.3 ₱5,909
27.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$34.75 ₱2,110
-61.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$29.67 ₱1,802
-37.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$34.05 ₱2,067
81.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
$4.48 ₱272
285.04%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$6.07 ₱369
50.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$229 ₱13.9K
206.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$3,908 ₱237.3K
306.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$46.54 ₱2,826
27.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$23.38 ₱1,420
50.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$76.1 ₱4,620
51.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$55.1 ₱3,347
52.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Negros
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$261 ₱15.8K
137.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$179 ₱10.9K
141.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$582 ₱35.3K
254.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$395 ₱24.0K
282.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$2,267 ₱137.6K
60.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$971 ₱59.0K
170.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Negros
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
$247 ₱15.0K
104.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
7
-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $261 in Negros. 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 105% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $13.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $241 – making Negros 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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Negros cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,179 in Negros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Negros?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $13.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Negros?
Groceries cost about 22% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Negros?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $786, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Negros more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Negros – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Negros?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Negros. 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.

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