Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quesada Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quesada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,492 in Quesada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,285 in Quesada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,077 in Quesada.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Quesada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Quesada is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.76 ₡4,826

-58.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$60.0 ₡26.9K

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$10.14 ₡4,546

-13.61%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.88 ₡1,740

-23.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.08 ₡932

-66.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.57 ₡705

-75.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.95 ₡1,321

-14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.13 ₡953

76.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.07 ₡927

3.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.78 ₡1,247

-34.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.16 ₡970

0.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.38 ₡1,066

-5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.81 ₡4,397

103.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.87 ₡3,976

-59.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.68 ₡6,135

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.45 ₡1,993

-27.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.51 ₡675

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.03 ₡461

126.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$3.57 ₡1,601

-42.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$3.51 ₡1,572

-55.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$3.26 ₡1,463

-55.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.96 ₡431

2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$2.86 ₡1,281

-83.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.32 ₡2,384

-18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$15.10 ₡6,769

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.45 ₡1,100

-24.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.89 ₡1,295

-8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.97 ₡436

46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.40 ₡630

126.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.39 ₡624

-25.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.73 ₡3,465

79.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.40 ₡626

-4.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.2K ₡16.7M

-25.27%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$32.8K ₡14.7M

1.86%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$94.9 ₡42.6K

29.64%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$26.22 ₡11.8K

-47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$48.74 ₡21.9K

-62.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$39.82 ₡17.9K

52.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$23.77 ₡10.7K

-27.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.32 ₡2,386

66.73%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$227 ₡101.8K

202.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,875 ₡1.7M

307.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$63.0 ₡28.2K

-5.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$51.1 ₡22.9K

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$118 ₡52.9K

-2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$100.0 ₡44.8K

-16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$779 ₡349.2K

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$589 ₡264.3K

-24.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,489 ₡667.5K

36.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$972 ₡435.7K

53.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$4,116 ₡1.8M

-16.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$2,178 ₡976.7K

16.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.17

-47.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Quesada: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $779 in Quesada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Quesada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $338 per month, with Phuket 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 Quesada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $2,239 in Quesada 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $779 in Quesada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $227 in Quesada. 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 $46.00 versus $60.0 in Quesada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,492 in Quesada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Quesada. 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 Quesada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Quesada 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 18% less than in Quesada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.