Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Porlamar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Porlamar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $667 in Porlamar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $931 in Porlamar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,195 in Porlamar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 83% more expensive than in Porlamar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Porlamar 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$4.44 VES 2,670

1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$49.33 VES 29.6K

-5.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$7.81 VES 4,692

8.71%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.49 VES 894

106.71%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$1.71 VES 1,027

-60.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.75 VES 453

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.38 VES 832

76.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.27 VES 1,365

59.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.69 VES 1,017

29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.47 VES 882

23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.12 VES 674

99.11%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.02 VES 1,215

10.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$5.83 VES 3,502

236.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.68 VES 4,012

-44.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$7.52 VES 4,518

79.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$4.31 VES 2,588

-22.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.73 VES 1,042

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.46 VES 877

65.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.72 VES 1,034

15.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.68 VES 1,011

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.59 VES 953

-8.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.82 VES 1,092

-44.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.97 VES 585

-50.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.95 VES 1,770

44.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$6.60 VES 3,965

189.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$0.73 VES 440

152.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.63 VES 979

68.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.49 VES 292

189.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$4.97 VES 2,986

-39.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$2.93 VES 1,760

-64.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$0.52 VES 313

148.08%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,997

$29.44 VES 17.7K

314.33%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$9.81 VES 5,892

42.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$34.92 VES 21.0K

-45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$50.6 VES 30.4K

21.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$9.98 VES 5,999

68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$2.94 VES 1,764

202.38%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$198 VES 118.8K

206.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$203 VES 121.7K

121.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$398 VES 239.2K

800.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$151 VES 90.5K

1617.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$218 VES 131.3K

131.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Porlamar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $198 in Porlamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 131% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Porlamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $211, with Porlamar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Porlamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porlamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 131% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $198 in Porlamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Porlamar – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $667 in Porlamar versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Porlamar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Porlamar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Porlamar 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Porlamar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Porlamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.