Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Riobamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Riobamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $560 in Riobamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $895 in Riobamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,230 in Riobamba.

Living in Phuket is roughly 120% more expensive than in Riobamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Riobamba 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.55 $3.55

24.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$15.89 $15.89

103.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.28 $6.28

42.20%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.46 $2.46

17.89%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.77 $0.77

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.67 $0.67

-28.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.03 $2.03

15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.94 $2.94

26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.98 $0.98

90.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.68 $1.68

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.88 $0.88

76.14%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.69 $1.69

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$2.05 $2.05

855.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.20 $3.20

6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$4.72 $4.72

141.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.71 $1.71

74.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.52 $0.52

223.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.66 $1.66

33.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.99 $0.99

118.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.81 $0.81

87.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.94 $0.94

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.47 $0.47

140.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.03 $1.03

-46.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.22 $5.22

-18.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$5.72 $5.72

233.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.45 $1.45

22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.18 $3.18

-12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.29 $0.29

668.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$17.82 $17.82

27.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.28 $1.28

136.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.13 $1.13

-9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$11.06 $11.06

-64.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.81 $0.81

83.95%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$24.7K $24.7K

7.69%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.8K $29.8K

-9.21%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$20.23 $20.23

406.52%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$6.94 $6.94

63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$25.64 $25.64

-32.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$25.10 $25.10

107.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.26 $14.26

-22.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.73 $5.73

34.21%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$80.7 $80.7

594.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,449 $1,449

693.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$50.8 $50.8

24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$47.56 $47.56

-37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$106 $106

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$71.1 $71.1

24.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$116 $116

536.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$93.2 $93.2

417.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$223 $223

845.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$193 $193

536.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,199 $1,199

201.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$891 $891

192.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$336 $336

46.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.16

-50.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Riobamba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $116 in Riobamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Riobamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $140 per month, with Riobamba 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 Riobamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riobamba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $116 in Riobamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $80.7 in Riobamba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $560 in Riobamba versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Riobamba but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Riobamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Riobamba 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 Riobamba 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 Riobamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.