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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $795 in Portoviejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,354 in Portoviejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,913 in Portoviejo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than in Portoviejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Portoviejo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.93 $3.93

12.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$50.7 $50.7

-36.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.83 $9.83

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.93 $2.93

-1.02%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.85 $0.85

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.74 $0.74

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.05 $3.05

-22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.15 $4.15

-10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.17 $1.17

59.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.01 $2.01

-26.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.46 $1.46

6.16%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.12 $2.12

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.74 $6.74

190.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.06 $5.06

-32.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$8.98 $8.98

26.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.46 $1.46

104.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.14 $1.14

47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.01 $1.01

118.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.89 $0.89

142.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.23 $1.23

23.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.94 $0.94

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.89 $0.89

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.95 $0.95

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.04 $6.04

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.07 $12.07

58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.52 $1.52

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.20 $2.20

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.36 $0.36

519.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$18.79 $18.79

21.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.38 $1.38

119.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.72 $1.72

-40.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$11.83 $11.83

-67.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.84 $0.84

77.38%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$20.8K $20.8K

27.75%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-13.13%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$37.58 $37.58

172.67%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.99 $14.99

-24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$26.04 $26.04

-33.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$29.64 $29.64

75.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.35 $14.35

-22.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.66 $7.66

0.39%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$397 $397

41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$6,041 $6,041

90.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$65.6 $65.6

-3.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$40.06 $40.06

-26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$124 $124

-21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$91.1 $91.1

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$298 $298

147.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$191 $191

153.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$741 $741

184.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$459 $459

167.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,199 $1,199

201.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$789 $789

230.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$328 $328

50.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.05

-44.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $298 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 50% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Portoviejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $198, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $298 in Portoviejo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $397 in Portoviejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $795 in Portoviejo versus $1,232 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 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.