Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quito Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $964 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,468 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,972 in Quito.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quito 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.42 $4.42

6.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.14 $33.14

36.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.35 $7.35

14.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.90 $2.90

1.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.11 $1.11

-37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.72 $0.72

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.02 $2.02

19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.97 $3.97

-6.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.09 $1.09

104.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.51 $1.51

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.86 $1.86

16.67%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.23 $2.23

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.85 $8.85

123.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.71 $7.71

-52.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.99 $7.99

69.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.03 $2.03

61.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.22 $1.22

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.02 $1.02

136.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.33 $1.33

56.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.39 $1.39

10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.05 $1.05

40.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.80 $0.80

23.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.01 $1.01

-49.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.92 $5.92

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.22 $8.22

135.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.59 $1.59

11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.96 $2.96

-8.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.33 $0.33

315.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$26.47 $26.47

-56.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.49 $1.49

102.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.46 $1.46

-32.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.19 $10.19

38.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.66 $0.66

106.06%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.9K $19.9K

41.48%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.4K $25.4K

29.30%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.15 $34.15

256.37%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$14.26 $14.26

-4.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.42 $29.42

-37.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$41.02 $41.02

46.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$16.95 $16.95

1.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.89 $6.89

26.12%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$278 $278

149.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,696 $8,696

80.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$57.3 $57.3

3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.95 $42.95

-19.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$102 $102

12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$87.2 $87.2

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$448 $448

36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$318 $318

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$767 $767

173.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$504 $504

199.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,692 $1,692

121.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$729 $729

258.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$612 $612

-17.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.19

-52.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Quito: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $448 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $212 per month, with Quito 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 Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Quito earns 20% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $448 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $278 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $964 in Quito versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Quito 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 Quito 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 Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.