Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surigao Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surigao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $795 in Surigao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,210 in Surigao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Surigao.

Living in Phuket is roughly 57% more expensive than in Surigao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Surigao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.63 ₱224

25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.01 ₱1,111

156.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.27 ₱201

170.34%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.39 ₱147

28.03%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.78 ₱47.97

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 ₱22.37

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.30 ₱79.9

86.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.12 ₱131

78.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.89 ₱116

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.22 ₱75.5

48.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.00 ₱61.7

125.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.03 ₱125

10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.17 ₱504

138.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.30 ₱265

-15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.77 ₱479

67.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.86 ₱176

12.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.59 ₱97.9

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.59 ₱160

-8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.54 ₱95.0

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.32 ₱143

-34.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.64 ₱163

-43.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.07 ₱66.2

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.76 ₱46.75

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.87 ₱177

54.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.57 ₱529

113.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.16 ₱71.5

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.05 ₱126

30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.28 ₱17.27

403.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.78 ₱48.07

298.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.22 ₱13.56

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.11 ₱130

568.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.15 ₱70.8

13.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

2.58%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

59.94%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$111 ₱6,820

10.72%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$24.36 ₱1,502

-44.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$38.92 ₱2,400

-51.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$33.84 ₱2,087

78.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.50 ₱278

277.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.97 ₱368

51.93%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$150 ₱9,223

372.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,262 ₱262.8K

270.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$45.84 ₱2,827

27.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$26.73 ₱1,649

32.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$76.3 ₱4,707

51.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$53.0 ₱3,269

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$264 ₱16.3K

137.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$180 ₱11.1K

147.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$584 ₱36.0K

249.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$393 ₱24.3K

279.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,042 ₱126.0K

70.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$890 ₱54.9K

189.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surigao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $264 in Surigao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Surigao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $207 per month, with Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surigao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,192 in Surigao 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $264 in Surigao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $150 in Surigao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surigao – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $795 in Surigao versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surigao but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Surigao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surigao 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 Surigao 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 Surigao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.