Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puntarenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puntarenas

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 1.2% more expensive than Puntarenas without rent, and 1.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 7.6% cheaper than Puntarenas without rent, and 25.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59 ฿147
$7.24 ₡3,320
-36.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83 ฿1,497
$60.2 ₡27.6K
-22.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿278
$8.99 ₡4,124
-3.23%
Cappuccino
$2.92 ฿93.5
$3.95 ₡1,814
-26.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿21.86
$2.07 ₡947
-67.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿12.66
$1.63 ₡749
-75.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ฿80.2
$2.93 ₡1,344
-14.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 ฿122
$4.53 ₡2,080
-16.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ฿69.1
$2.06 ₡943
4.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 ฿60.1
$2.81 ₡1,289
-33.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 ฿69.0
$1.97 ₡904
9.64%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿71.0
$2.26 ₡1,038
-1.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.57 ฿626
$3.40 ₡1,562
475.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ฿122
$8.11 ₡3,720
-53.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 ฿429
$9.14 ₡4,194
46.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 ฿104
$3.52 ₡1,615
-7.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.5
$1.01 ₡463
59.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 ฿73.8
$1.16 ₡534
99.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 ฿65.8
$1.38 ₡632
49.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.3
$1.61 ₡737
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 ฿46.13
$1.63 ₡750
-11.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿32.91
$0.76 ₡351
35.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.34
$1.92 ₡879
-75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 ฿144
$4.51 ₡2,071
-0.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.18 ฿613
$8.25 ₡3,783
132.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.3
$1.70 ₡781
7.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 ฿86.0
$2.37 ₡1,086
13.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 ฿44.04
$0.96 ₡441
43.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿376
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.3
$1.86 ₡853
67.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.09
$1.86 ₡853
-46.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.74 ฿439
$7.75 ₡3,557
77.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ฿41.49
$1.32 ₡607
-1.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿874.5K
$38.2K ₡17.5M
-28.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ฿1.1M
$16.6K ₡7.6M
98.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿3,993
$49.64 ₡22.8K
151.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74 ฿439
$19.84 ₡9,099
-30.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61 ฿595
$24.27 ₡11.1K
-23.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ฿1,936
$56.0 ₡25.7K
8.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 ฿548
$23.68 ₡10.9K
-27.58%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 ฿288
$9.74 ₡4,469
-7.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.3K
$573 ₡263.0K
21.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿515.1K
$12.9K ₡5.9M
25.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 ฿1,893
$24.20 ₡11.1K
144.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86 ฿1,115
$15.65 ₡7,177
122.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ฿3,651
$125 ₡57.2K
-8.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,743
$48.02 ₡22.0K
78.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿19.8K
$758 ₡347.6K
-18.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.0K
$589 ₡270.4K
-25.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 ฿66.3K
$1,529 ₡701.2K
35.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿48.2K
$975 ₡447.1K
54.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,764 ฿120.3K
$992 ₡454.9K
279.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,694 ฿86.1K
$650 ₡298.3K
314.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Puntarenas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$528 ฿16.9K
$948 ₡434.7K
-44.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
6
-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Puntarenas: April 12, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities