😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $748 in Puerto De La Libertad.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,209 in Puerto De La Libertad.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,670 in Puerto De La Libertad.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 67% more expensive than in Puerto De La Libertad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Puerto De La Libertad44% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$7.95$7.95
-42.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$34.77$34.77
32.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$6.84$6.84
29.24%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$3.23$3.23
-5.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.15$1.15
-36.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.84$0.84
-52.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.95$1.95
24.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.98$2.98
26.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.88$1.88
20.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.98$1.98
-8.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.54$1.54
46.10%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.77$2.77
-18.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.18$7.18
171.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.55$6.55
-44.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$10.90$10.90
19.72%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.09$3.09
4.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.66$1.66
-2.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$2.51$2.51
-5.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$2.71$2.71
-25.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.25$2.25
-32.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.11$2.11
-28.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.01$1.01
-2.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.03$1.03
-49.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$4.11$4.11
8.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$12.01$12.01
52.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.76$1.76
5.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.50$2.50
7.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$5.54$5.54
-43.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$2.96$2.96
-64.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$19.98$19.98
-29.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.04$1.04
25.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$25.3K$25.3K
9.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$28.6K$28.6K
16.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$104$104
17.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$18.96$18.96
-28.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$41.39$41.39
-54.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$5.29$5.29
71.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$146$146
383.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$5,992$5,992
163.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$67.0$67.0
-12.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$43.83$43.83
-19.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$116$116
-0.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$105$105
-20.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Puerto De La Libertad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.58
-37.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Puerto De La Libertad: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Puerto De La Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $257 per month, with Puerto De La Libertad cheaper across the board.
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 Puerto De La Libertad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Puerto De La Libertad cheaper than Phuket?
Puerto De La Libertad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,122 in Puerto De La Libertad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $146 in Puerto De La Libertad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Puerto De La Libertad?
Dining out is cheaper in Puerto De La Libertad – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Puerto De La Libertad?
At $748 in Puerto De La Libertad versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto De La Libertad but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto De La Libertad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Puerto De La Libertad more family-friendly?
For families, Puerto De La Libertad 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Puerto De La Libertad?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Puerto De La Libertad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Puerto De La Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.