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 $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,183 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $2,009 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,835 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

Phuket costs about 6% more than Paso de los Libres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Paso de los Libres are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Paso de los Libres 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$15.76 ARS 23.8K

-71.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$57.6 ARS 86.9K

-43.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$14.03 ARS 21.2K

-36.56%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.02 ARS 6,059

-30.35%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.80 ARS 2,712

-51.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.88 ARS 2,830

-73.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$3.67 ARS 5,535

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.67 ARS 5,536

1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.24 ARS 1,870

44.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$2.29 ARS 3,454

-37.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.54 ARS 2,327

2.60%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.55 ARS 3,844

-16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$9.83 ARS 14.8K

102.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.73 ARS 10.2K

-49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.89 ARS 16.4K

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.08 ARS 3,137

41.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.48 ARS 3,745

-30.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.27 ARS 1,908

82.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.28 ARS 3,445

-8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.02 ARS 1,542

44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.88 ARS 1,324

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.65 ARS 2,487

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.78 ARS 2,683

-67.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.33 ARS 5,024

28.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$5.56 ARS 8,381

231.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.04 ARS 3,078

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.65 ARS 3,999

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.13 ARS 1,697

96.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.39 ARS 2,099

117.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.15 ARS 1,727

-6.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

-52.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.26 ARS 1,902

18.25%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$23.7K ARS 35.8M

14.36%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$34.2K ARS 51.5M

-19.64%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$76.4 ARS 115.2K

34.63%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$18.74 ARS 28.3K

-41.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$26.69 ARS 40.3K

-34.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$29.32 ARS 44.2K

82.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$8.36 ARS 12.6K

-10.53%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$261 ARS 392.9K

113.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$3,664 ARS 5.5M

223.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$122 ARS 184.6K

-47.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$77.2 ARS 116.4K

-62.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$115 ARS 173.3K

-16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$120 ARS 180.9K

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$468 ARS 705.5K

56.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$312 ARS 470.5K

60.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$953 ARS 1.4M

119.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$691 ARS 1.0M

74.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,140 ARS 3.2M

68.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

56.56

-90.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Paso de los Libres: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $468 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Paso de los Libres. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Phuket vs $249 in Paso de los Libres – so Paso de los Libres wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,775 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $1,183 in Paso de los Libres. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $261 in Paso de los Libres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paso de los Libres, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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.