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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,226 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,858 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,490 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Oaxaca de Juarez; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Oaxaca de Juarez 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41 ฿147
$7.16 MX$123
-38.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,077
$34.89 MX$602
-7.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.93 ฿298
$8.72 MX$150
2.41%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿96.6
$3.00 MX$51.8
-3.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ฿29.38
$1.64 MX$28.22
-46.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.06
$0.85 MX$14.66
-43.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 ฿78.5
$2.70 MX$46.59
-12.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿124
$4.15 MX$71.6
-10.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 ฿62.3
$1.47 MX$25.33
27.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿48.94
$3.35 MX$57.9
-56.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.8
$1.14 MX$19.60
35.96%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.1
$1.85 MX$31.91
13.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.59 ฿654
$7.05 MX$122
177.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.42 ฿114
$6.05 MX$104
-43.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.38 ฿380
$11.92 MX$205
-4.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 ฿99.6
$2.27 MX$39.22
31.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.2
$1.31 MX$22.52
28.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ฿73.7
$2.10 MX$36.14
5.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 ฿72.1
$0.60 MX$10.39
260.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.9
$2.20 MX$38.02
-30.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 ฿44.67
$2.09 MX$36.07
-35.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ฿37.67
$1.19 MX$20.55
-5.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.00 MX$17.22
-45.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.53 MX$78.2
-5.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.09 ฿637
$10.29 MX$177
85.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.4
$1.49 MX$25.66
19.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$2.80 MX$48.28
-0.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 ฿74.4
$0.57 MX$9.76
291.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.74 ฿759
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ฿101
$4.19 MX$72.3
-27.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.15
$2.07 MX$35.62
-50.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.89 ฿130
$11.60 MX$200
-66.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.77
$1.47 MX$25.32
1.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ฿887.3K
$22.5K MX$387.5K
18.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿902.2K
$26.0K MX$448.8K
3.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ฿3,420
$65.8 MX$1,135
55.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33 ฿378
$11.85 MX$204
-4.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ฿581
$25.44 MX$439
-31.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ฿1,738
$46.39 MX$800
12.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69 ฿257
$5.81 MX$100
32.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 ฿18.7K
$454 MX$7,836
23.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿384.1K
$20.7K MX$356.6K
-44.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0 ฿2,104
$49.07 MX$846
28.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52 ฿986
$66.2 MX$1,142
-55.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 ฿3,272
$107 MX$1,846
-8.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 ฿2,954
$102 MX$1,766
-13.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$738 ฿24.6K
$761 MX$13.1K
-2.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.1K
$523 MX$9,017
-7.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 ฿70.3K
$1,270 MX$21.9K
65.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 ฿40.9K
$930 MX$16.0K
31.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,617 ฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,603 ฿86.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Oaxaca de Juarez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10.96
-49.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $761 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $239, with Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Oaxaca de Juarez?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,840 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Oaxaca de Juarez?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $761 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Oaxaca de Juarez?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Oaxaca de Juarez?
Dining out is cheaper in Oaxaca de Juarez – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Oaxaca de Juarez?
At $1,226 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,232 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Oaxaca de Juarez?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oaxaca de Juarez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,226 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oaxaca de Juarez hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Oaxaca de Juarez?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Oaxaca de Juarez?
It comes down to priorities – Oaxaca de Juarez wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities