Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Resistencia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Resistencia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $864 in Resistencia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,428 in Resistencia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,992 in Resistencia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than in Resistencia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Resistencia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$10.64 ARS 15.7K

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$34.22 ARS 50.6K

34.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$8.91 ARS 13.2K

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.76 ARS 4,077

10.87%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.72 ARS 2,542

-57.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.49 ARS 2,208

-73.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.08 ARS 3,072

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.05 ARS 4,515

23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.65 ARS 957

247.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.65 ARS 2,432

9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.34 ARS 1,979

67.91%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.24 ARS 1,829

81.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.78 ARS 7,070

308.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.20 ARS 4,734

14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.57 ARS 6,759

185.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.24 ARS 1,828

160.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.02 ARS 1,514

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.66 ARS 982

260.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.83 ARS 1,225

144.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.39 ARS 571

292.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.49 ARS 724

206.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.27 ARS 1,878

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.68 ARS 1,004

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.63 ARS 3,891

68.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.27 ARS 6,316

329.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.85 ARS 1,254

118.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.48 ARS 2,181

81.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.77 ARS 1,137

83.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$11.99 ARS 17.7K

-2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.46 ARS 2,158

113.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.87 ARS 1,284

19.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$5.84 ARS 8,627

141.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.11 ARS 1,640

18.02%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$27.9K ARS 41.3M

-0.34%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$30.2K ARS 44.6M

10.02%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$67.5 ARS 99.7K

81.45%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.15 ARS 25.3K

-20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.55 ARS 33.3K

-17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$25.76 ARS 38.1K

134.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$18.49 ARS 27.3K

-8.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.57 ARS 3,794

252.92%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$222 ARS 327.8K

218.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$2,696 ARS 4.0M

486.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$72.7 ARS 107.5K

-19.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$70.4 ARS 104.0K

-49.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$115 ARS 169.9K

0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$113 ARS 166.7K

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$337 ARS 498.7K

85.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$242 ARS 356.9K

84.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$678 ARS 1.0M

200.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$535 ARS 790.3K

179.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,339 ARS 3.5M

48.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,442 ARS 2.1M

78.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$573 ARS 846.7K

-12.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

58.5

-90.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Resistencia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $337 in Resistencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Resistencia pays 15% 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 $34.00 in Resistencia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $128 per month, with Resistencia 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 Resistencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Resistencia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Resistencia. 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 $337 in Resistencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $222 in Resistencia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 127% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $864 in Resistencia versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Resistencia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Resistencia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Resistencia 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 Resistencia 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 Resistencia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.