Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rosarito

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Rosarito: $1,190 and $1,173 a month, rent and utilities included.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,190
/mo nomad
Rosarito
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,173
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Rosarito

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Rosarito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,173 in Rosarito.

  • Phuket $1,190
  • Rosarito $1,173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $1,900 in Rosarito.

  • Phuket $2,006
  • Rosarito $1,900

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $2,628 in Rosarito.

  • Phuket $2,822
  • Rosarito $2,628

Living in Phuket is roughly 1% more expensive than in Rosarito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Rosarito 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.35 ฿146
$12.41 MX$228
-64.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.45 ฿1,087
$34.87 MX$640
-6.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 ฿282
$9.82 MX$180
-14.26%
Cappuccino
$2.81 ฿94.0
$4.26 MX$78.2
-34.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.29
$1.37 MX$25.20
-36.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ฿15.39
$1.24 MX$22.83
-62.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$3.42 MX$62.7
-24.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 ฿122
$6.57 MX$121
-44.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 ฿57.2
$1.80 MX$33.03
-5.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$3.01 MX$55.3
-51.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.3
$1.76 MX$32.27
-11.36%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.3
$3.31 MX$60.7
-36.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.53 ฿654
$8.34 MX$153
134.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$7.32 MX$134
-53.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿373
$11.88 MX$218
-6.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 ฿94.8
$2.86 MX$52.5
-1.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.68 MX$30.79
-3.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ฿74.5
$1.91 MX$35.02
16.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.15 ฿71.9
$1.65 MX$30.30
30.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.95
$1.58 MX$28.93
-5.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.40
$1.91 MX$35.07
-30.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.72
$1.47 MX$27.08
-27.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.01
$1.07 MX$19.73
-52.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 ฿147
$4.37 MX$80.2
0.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.77 ฿629
$8.20 MX$151
128.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.3
$2.30 MX$42.15
-24.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$4.11 MX$75.5
-32.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 ฿72.6
$0.66 MX$12.11
228.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.28 ฿746
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿101
$3.00 MX$55.2
0.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.43
$2.28 MX$41.84
-53.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.71 ฿124
$11.05 MX$203
-66.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿47.88
$1.31 MX$24.12
9.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿882.1K
$21.2K MX$389.6K
24.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K ฿877.3K
$24.4K MX$448.8K
7.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.7 ฿3,236
$48.34 MX$887
99.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.41 ฿382
$34.02 MX$625
-66.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.11 ฿573
$29.93 MX$550
-42.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 ฿1,768
$35.33 MX$649
49.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿371
$20.08 MX$369
-44.87%
Cinema Ticket
$7.65 ฿256
$6.88 MX$126
11.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$555 ฿18.6K
$210 MX$3,849
164.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿377.7K
$4,684 MX$86.0K
140.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.4 ฿2,123
$54.5 MX$1,000
16.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.61 ฿958
$46.77 MX$859
-38.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 ฿3,238
$104 MX$1,901
-6.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 ฿2,967
$69.5 MX$1,277
27.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$735 ฿24.6K
$624 MX$11.5K
17.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$458 ฿15.3K
$396 MX$7,274
15.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 ฿70.4K
$1,036 MX$19.0K
102.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 ฿39.7K
$776 MX$14.2K
53.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,493 ฿116.9K
$1,894 MX$34.8K
84.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,491 ฿83.4K
$1,146 MX$21.0K
117.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rosarito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
12.07
-53.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Rosarito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$458
Rosarito
$396 13.5% $62
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Rosarito
$269 0.5% $1.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Rosarito
$112 10.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$125
Rosarito
$123 1.1% $1.3
Eating Out
Phuket
$119
Rosarito
$220 84.9% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Rosarito
$49 27.9% $19
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Rosarito
$17 * 56.6% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $624 in Rosarito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Rosarito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇽 Rosarito
🕒 Local time
18:02 6:02 PM
04:02 4:02 AM
14 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
100,660
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Rosarito 14,170 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Rosarito

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rosarito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rosarito cheaper than Phuket?
Rosarito is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $1,759 in Rosarito 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Rosarito?
Rent for a central apartment: $735 in Phuket versus $624 in Rosarito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $555 in Phuket versus $210 in Rosarito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Rosarito?
Dining out is cheaper in Rosarito – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Rosarito?
At $1,173 in Rosarito versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rosarito but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rosarito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Rosarito more family-friendly?
For families, Rosarito 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Rosarito?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rosarito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Rosarito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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