Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Oaxaca de Juarez Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Oaxaca de Juarez

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,628 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,196 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than Oaxaca de Juarez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Oaxaca de Juarez 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.72 MX$99.1

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$26.95 MX$467

68.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.75 MX$134

8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.56 MX$44.44

14.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.19 MX$20.61

-42.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.70 MX$12.11

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.28 MX$39.43

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.46 MX$60.0

7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.28 MX$22.20

74.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.65 MX$45.85

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.08 MX$18.63

100.93%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.59 MX$27.49

38.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.16 MX$107

220.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.67 MX$80.9

-22.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.17 MX$194

21.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.13 MX$36.98

53.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.18 MX$20.44

36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.72 MX$29.82

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.55 MX$9.52

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.17 MX$37.69

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.89 MX$32.77

-21.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.04 MX$18.00

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.78 MX$13.46

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.04 MX$70.0

9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$9.97 MX$173

94.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.29 MX$22.43

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.80 MX$48.48

-3.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.54 MX$9.37

153.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.56 MX$44.40

17.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.48 MX$43.01

-60.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.75 MX$186

31.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.29 MX$22.37

5.43%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$22.6K MX$391.2K

24.93%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.0K MX$415.9K

37.08%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$67.1 MX$1,163

81.26%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.67 MX$185

27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$24.09 MX$417

-23.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$31.95 MX$554

88.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.89 MX$275

7.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.37 MX$93.0

61.82%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$369 MX$6,389

88.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,543 MX$61.4K

342.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$38.20 MX$662

55.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$58.7 MX$1,017

-40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$67.1 MX$1,162

70.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$99.0 MX$1,716

-15.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$595 MX$10.3K

3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$418 MX$7,236

4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,050 MX$18.2K

99.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$846 MX$14.7K

78.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.25

-52.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $208 per month, with Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oaxaca de Juarez wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oaxaca de Juarez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,590 in Oaxaca de Juarez to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oaxaca de Juarez but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Oaxaca de Juarez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oaxaca de Juarez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,060 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oaxaca de Juarez hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.