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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $941 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,434 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,927 in Quito.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quito 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.41 $4.41

3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$32.72 $32.72

41.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.59 $7.59

16.47%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.81 $2.81

8.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.12 $1.12

-34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.70 $0.70

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.05 $4.05

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.11 $1.11

103.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.58 $1.58

14.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.77 $1.77

27.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.28 $2.28

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.51 $8.51

129.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.90 $7.90

-53.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.99 $7.99

63.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.03 $2.03

59.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.17 $1.17

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.08 $1.08

120.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.28 $1.28

58.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.37 $1.37

11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.11 $1.11

35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.78 $0.78

25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.02 $1.02

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.91 $5.91

-24.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.67 $8.67

111.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.59 $1.59

16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.88 $2.88

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.34 $0.34

314.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$27.22 $27.22

-57.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.51 $1.51

105.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.53 $1.53

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$10.05 $10.05

40.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.70 $0.70

87.14%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$20.4K $20.4K

36.64%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.6K $25.6K

29.88%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$34.65 $34.65

253.36%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.08 $14.08

-3.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$29.37 $29.37

-36.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$41.72 $41.72

44.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$16.60 $16.60

2.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.14 $7.14

27.03%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$279 $279

152.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$8,502 $8,502

85.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$57.8 $57.8

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$43.11 $43.11

-17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$101 $101

14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$86.0 $86.0

-2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$446 $446

40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$312 $312

42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$758 $758

169.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$494 $494

201.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,740 $1,740

100.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$739 $739

248.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$592 $592

-15.58%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quito: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $446 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $213 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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Quito. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $446 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $279 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $941 in Quito versus $1,250 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 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.