Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pasay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pasay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $932 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,316 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,700 in Pasay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 31% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Pasay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Pasay 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$4.77 ₱287

-5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$21.29 ₱1,282

118.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$3.13 ₱189

171.25%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.13 ₱128

44.60%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.60 ₱36.38

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.34 ₱20.68

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.04 ₱62.5

133.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.54 ₱92.9

135.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.92 ₱116

14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.22 ₱73.3

48.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.93 ₱56.0

139.78%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.00 ₱121

12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$5.09 ₱307

285.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.23 ₱255

-12.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$5.56 ₱335

142.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.41 ₱265

-23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.54 ₱92.7

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.52 ₱152

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.63 ₱98.3

22.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.75 ₱165

-44.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$4.07 ₱245

-64.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.44 ₱86.9

-29.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.94 ₱56.9

-48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$3.16 ₱190

35.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$7.51 ₱452

154.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.02 ₱61.6

80.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.14 ₱68.4

140.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.22 ₱13.26

545.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.68 ₱41.06

341.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.27 ₱16.42

288.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$2.08 ₱125

568.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.09 ₱65.6

18.35%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$12.6K ₱757.1K

123.01%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$15.9K ₱955.2K

111.23%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$114 ₱6,880

6.78%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$32.42 ₱1,953

-57.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$29.55 ₱1,780

-36.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$36.15 ₱2,177

69.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$6.19 ₱373

43.62%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$81.6 ₱4,912

747.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$2,753 ₱165.8K

487.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$31.47 ₱1,895

83.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$17.55 ₱1,057

101.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$84.0 ₱5,059

34.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$69.7 ₱4,195

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$398 ₱23.9K

52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$309 ₱18.6K

45.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,462 ₱88.0K

38.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$400 ₱24.1K

273.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,919 ₱115.6K

86.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$603 ₱36.3K

329.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$532 ₱32.1K

-5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Pasay: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $398 in Pasay. 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 5% higher in Pasay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $202 – making Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in Phuket, $932 in Pasay – roughly 31% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,398 in Pasay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $21.00 in Pasay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasay, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Pasay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $932 in Pasay to $1,223 in Phuket. 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 Pasay. 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.