Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto la Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto la Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $727 in Puerto la Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,180 in Puerto la Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,633 in Puerto la Cruz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Puerto la Cruz 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.65 VES 4,484

-40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$54.0 VES 31.6K

-13.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.14 VES 3,600

37.95%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.97 VES 571

212.37%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.73 VES 428

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.52 VES 307

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$0.98 VES 573

154.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.48 VES 869

147.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.84 VES 1,077

18.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.67 VES 1,565

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.43 VES 838

53.85%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.85 VES 1,673

-22.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.21 VES 5,984

95.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.28 VES 4,269

-49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.65 VES 4,480

73.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$5.35 VES 3,135

-39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.88 VES 1,099

-9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.18 VES 1,279

9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.02 VES 1,181

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.58 VES 1,514

-38.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.15 VES 1,257

-31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.30 VES 763

-20.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.89 VES 1,108

-72.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.06 VES 2,379

4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.86 VES 4,608

139.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.48 VES 864

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.95 VES 1,142

41.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.24 VES 139

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.94 VES 1,724

6.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.68 VES 1,572

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.98 VES 2,919

176.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.51 VES 300

162.75%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$24.9K VES 14.6M

11.16%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$39.8K VES 23.3M

-14.95%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$20.56 VES 12.0K

501.12%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.03 VES 5,878

34.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$25.27 VES 14.8K

-26.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.11 VES 3,579

49.59%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$60.4 VES 35.4K

1064.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,537 VES 3.2M

186.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$45.86 VES 26.9K

29.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$38.51 VES 22.6K

-8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$44.21 VES 25.9K

160.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$40.03 VES 23.5K

109.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$181 VES 105.9K

242.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$186 VES 108.8K

132.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$436 VES 255.3K

373.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$202 VES 118.6K

646.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$518 VES 303.3K

604.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$309 VES 180.9K

750.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$221 VES 129.4K

129.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

21.33

-75.01%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $181 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 130% 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 $54.0 in Puerto la Cruz. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $276, with Puerto la Cruz 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 la Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto la Cruz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 130% more on average, 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: $619 in Phuket versus $181 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $60.4 in Puerto la Cruz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puerto la Cruz – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $727 in Puerto la Cruz versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Puerto la Cruz but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto la Cruz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto la Cruz 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 Puerto la Cruz 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 Puerto la Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.