Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Portoviejo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Portoviejo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $910 in Portoviejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,453 in Portoviejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,995 in Portoviejo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Portoviejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Portoviejo 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.41 $3.41

31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$47.76 $47.76

-4.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.81 $7.81

12.16%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.60 $2.60

14.23%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.91 $0.91

-24.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.61 $0.61

-36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.95 $2.95

-14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.52 $4.52

-17.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.14 $1.14

88.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.68 $1.68

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.76 $1.76

23.86%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.52 $2.52

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.97 $5.97

235.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.21 $5.21

-30.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.27 $6.27

116.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.14 $2.14

51.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.10 $1.10

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.08 $1.08

115.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.04 $1.04

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.86 $1.86

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.42 $1.42

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.73 $0.73

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.02 $1.02

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.88 $5.88

-26.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$11.93 $11.93

55.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.56 $1.56

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.16 $2.16

22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.34 $0.34

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$24.07 $24.07

-51.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.69 $2.69

17.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.01 $1.01

1.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$9.84 $9.84

41.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.68 $0.68

97.06%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

11.19%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.8K $28.8K

15.74%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$37.56 $37.56

227.61%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.58 $13.58

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$31.46 $31.46

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$29.73 $29.73

104.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.39 $14.39

19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.96 $7.96

11.43%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$313 $313

119.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,897 $5,897

167.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$52.5 $52.5

12.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$43.79 $43.79

-20.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$104 $104

10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$113 $113

-26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$339 $339

83.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$318 $318

40.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$617 $617

229.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$503 $503

197.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,174 $1,174

194.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$787 $787

221.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$321 $321

53.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.35

-42.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $339 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 54% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Portoviejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $194, with Portoviejo 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 Portoviejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portoviejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $339 in Portoviejo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $313 in Portoviejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $910 in Portoviejo versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Portoviejo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Portoviejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Portoviejo 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 Portoviejo 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 Portoviejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.