Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paso de los Libres Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paso de los Libres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,010 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,645 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,281 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

Phuket costs about 25% more than Paso de los Libres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Paso de los Libres are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Paso de los Libres 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$10.38 ARS 14.8K

-54.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.66 ARS 48.0K

34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.97 ARS 12.8K

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.65 ARS 3,785

10.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.64 ARS 2,341

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.56 ARS 2,222

-76.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.09 ARS 2,979

15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.05 ARS 4,352

21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.31 ARS 1,873

70.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.65 ARS 2,351

10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.05 ARS 2,921

5.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.19 ARS 3,122

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.05 ARS 14.3K

96.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.09 ARS 8,691

-40.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.64 ARS 13.8K

40.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.95 ARS 2,787

68.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.13 ARS 3,040

-24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.26 ARS 1,795

91.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.65 ARS 3,776

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.18 ARS 1,686

29.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.24 ARS 1,774

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.32 ARS 1,887

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.47 ARS 2,097

-65.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.08 ARS 4,388

43.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.39 ARS 6,268

341.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.07 ARS 2,951

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.20 ARS 4,559

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.82 ARS 1,172

67.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$27.72 ARS 39.5K

-58.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.53 ARS 2,177

97.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.90 ARS 1,284

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.13 ARS 8,742

130.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.06 ARS 1,515

28.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

3.35%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.3K ARS 43.2M

8.53%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$66.4 ARS 94.8K

83.20%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$17.22 ARS 24.6K

-21.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.18 ARS 31.6K

-17.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$25.77 ARS 36.8K

133.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.89 ARS 19.8K

23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.07 ARS 8,664

43.16%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$219 ARS 312.6K

216.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,699 ARS 3.9M

481.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$75.2 ARS 107.2K

-20.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$70.0 ARS 99.8K

-50.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$114 ARS 162.0K

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$110 ARS 157.5K

-24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$332 ARS 473.5K

84.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$240 ARS 342.4K

82.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$671 ARS 957.0K

212.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$541 ARS 772.2K

178.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,171 ARS 3.1M

72.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

58.5

-90.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Paso de los Libres: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $332 in Paso de los Libres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Paso de los Libres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $231 – making Paso de los Libres 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 Paso de los Libres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,514 in Paso de los Libres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paso de los Libres, 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $34.00 in Paso de los Libres. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,010 in Paso de los Libres. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paso de los Libres, where all-in costs run around $1,010, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Paso de los Libres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paso de los Libres – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Paso de los Libres. 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.