Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto de Tierra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto de Tierra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,365 in Puerto de Tierra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,015 in Puerto de Tierra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,664 in Puerto de Tierra.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 10% less than in Puerto de Tierra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Puerto de Tierra is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$18.64 $18.64

-75.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$80.8 $80.8

-42.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$9.38 $9.38

-9.49%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$3.66 $3.66

-15.85%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$1.71 $1.71

-60.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$1.39 $1.39

-74.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$3.03 $3.03

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.40 $4.40

-17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.82 $1.82

20.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.24 $1.24

45.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$2.16 $2.16

3.24%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.30 $1.30

72.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$8.93 $8.93

119.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$8.71 $8.71

-57.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$12.50 $12.50

7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.42 $2.42

38.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.37 $2.37

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.41 $2.41

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.37 $2.37

-16.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.46 $2.46

-37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$2.40 $2.40

-39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.13 $1.13

-10.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$1.53 $1.53

-68.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$11.95 $11.95

-64.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$15.69 $15.69

21.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.53 $1.53

20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.08 $1.08

153.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.52 $1.52

-30.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$14.80 $14.80

-6.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.01 $1.01

27.72%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$36.4K $36.4K

-22.89%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$27.1K $27.1K

23.59%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$496 $496

-75.38%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$78.5 $78.5

-82.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$72.8 $72.8

-74.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$12.15 $12.15

-26.83%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$476 $476

45.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$10.5K $10.5K

53.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$45.57 $45.57

26.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$56.6 $56.6

-37.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$90.6 $90.6

25.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$107 $107

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$1,814 $1,814

11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.71

-6.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Puerto de Tierra. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $276, with Puerto de Tierra 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 Puerto de Tierra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $2,048 in Puerto de Tierra 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.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $476 in Puerto de Tierra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $81.0 in Puerto de Tierra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,365 in Puerto de Tierra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Puerto de Tierra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puerto de Tierra, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Puerto de Tierra 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Puerto de Tierra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.