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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $917 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,255 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,592 in Pasay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 34% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Pasay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Pasay 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.44 ₱278

-0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$19.04 ₱1,194

69.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$2.84 ₱178

214.44%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.23 ₱140

30.04%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.63 ₱39.26

39.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.31 ₱19.24

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.21 ₱76.1

94.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.58 ₱99.0

135.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.72 ₱108

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.17 ₱73.2

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.01 ₱63.6

53.47%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.96 ₱123

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$5.15 ₱323

280.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.29 ₱269

-20.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.26 ₱456

56.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.29 ₱143

30.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.54 ₱96.7

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.35 ₱147

-5.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.17 ₱73.3

84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.37 ₱149

-35.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$3.33 ₱209

-59.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.25 ₱78.3

-9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.89 ₱55.6

-38.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.97 ₱186

43.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.73 ₱485

146.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$0.97 ₱61.0

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.82 ₱114

52.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.19 ₱11.64

1073.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.76 ₱47.52

298.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.21 ₱13.12

385.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$1.96 ₱123

98.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.18 ₱74.2

26.27%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

25.59%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

45.35%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$139 ₱8,713

-26.24%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.20 ₱890

-20.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$25.46 ₱1,597

-31.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$47.18 ₱2,959

10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.20 ₱326

47.88%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$73.4 ₱4,603

664.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,546 ₱159.7K

351.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$36.19 ₱2,270

74.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$19.34 ₱1,213

52.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$70.1 ₱4,397

39.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$64.3 ₱4,033

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$432 ₱27.1K

71.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$315 ₱19.7K

53.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$821 ₱51.5K

156.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$361 ₱22.6K

239.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,840 ₱115.4K

96.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$571 ₱35.8K

355.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$511 ₱32.0K

-3.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Pasay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $432 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 3% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $189 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $917 in Pasay – roughly 34% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,375 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $19.00 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 $917, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $917 in Pasay to $1,232 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.