Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and PachucaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pachuca
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $880 in Pachuca.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,451 in Pachuca.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,021 in Pachuca.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Pachuca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Pachuca34% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$4.78MX$83.8
-4.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,554
$24.88MX$436
85.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿298
$7.99MX$140
10.64%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$2.99MX$52.5
2.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.42
$1.08MX$18.93
-32.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.40
$0.80MX$13.98
-50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.63MX$28.53
49.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.14MX$55.1
20.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.43MX$25.08
58.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$2.81MX$49.23
-35.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.85MX$32.36
21.62%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.6
$2.52MX$44.21
-10.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.27MX$128
168.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$4.48MX$78.5
-18.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$7.44MX$130
75.40%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.95MX$34.28
65.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.31MX$22.92
23.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.2
$1.41MX$24.72
68.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.2
$1.62MX$28.46
25.31%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.46MX$25.68
4.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.26MX$22.03
19.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.93
$0.86MX$15.01
13.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.40
$0.95MX$16.71
-45.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$4.16MX$73.0
6.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$8.78MX$154
108.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.30MX$22.85
43.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.2
$2.44MX$42.82
9.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.49
$0.58MX$10.20
143.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿394
$26.71MX$469
-56.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$2.44MX$42.86
27.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.08
$1.24MX$21.80
-16.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿475
$8.03MX$141
75.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.13
$1.30MX$22.78
0.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿936.0K
$18.1KMX$318.2K
53.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$21.2KMX$371.3K
56.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,120
$51.5MX$902
137.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$17.12MX$300
-20.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$23.16MX$406
-19.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,035
$22.61MX$397
167.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿572
$10.51MX$184
61.56%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$4.60MX$80.7
97.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$156MX$2,742
351.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.8K
$3,064MX$53.8K
415.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,970
$52.6MX$923
11.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,190
$39.77MX$698
-11.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,885
$92.9MX$1,629
24.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,818
$75.1MX$1,317
11.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.1K
$391MX$6,863
59.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$256MX$4,496
73.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.7K
$737MX$12.9K
176.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$664MX$11.6K
124.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.2K
$758MX$13.3K
359.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$674MX$11.8K
282.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pachuca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$671MX$11.8K
-25.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.75
-50.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Pachuca: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $391 in Pachuca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pachuca pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Pachuca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $208 per month, with Pachuca 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 Pachuca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pachuca cheaper than Phuket?
Pachuca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Pachuca?
On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Pachuca. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Pachuca?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $391 in Pachuca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $156 in Pachuca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Pachuca?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Pachuca?
At $880 in Pachuca versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pachuca but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pachuca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Pachuca more family-friendly?
For families, Pachuca 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Pachuca?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Pachuca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Pachuca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.