๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,078 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,704 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,330 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga.
๐Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga20% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56เธฟ149
$10.71MX$184
-57.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63เธฟ1,519
$38.97MX$669
19.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47เธฟ276
$7.87MX$135
7.62%
Cappuccino
$3.03เธฟ98.6
$3.14MX$54.0
-3.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.45
$1.32MX$22.67
-47.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.92
$0.92MX$15.84
-59.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49เธฟ81.0
$2.17MX$37.32
14.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ119
$3.79MX$65.1
-3.43%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18เธฟ71.0
$1.40MX$24.07
55.71%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90เธฟ62.0
$2.57MX$44.14
-26.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20เธฟ71.6
$1.52MX$26.15
44.74%
Eggs
$2.22เธฟ72.4
$2.50MX$42.93
-11.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99เธฟ651
$9.62MX$165
107.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66เธฟ119
$7.71MX$132
-52.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25เธฟ432
$10.03MX$172
32.10%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23เธฟ105
$2.31MX$39.68
39.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70เธฟ55.3
$1.44MX$24.71
18.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39เธฟ78.0
$1.33MX$22.90
79.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ67.7
$1.30MX$22.37
60.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ51.8
$1.56MX$26.85
1.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.31
$1.03MX$17.69
43.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.54
$1.34MX$22.97
-23.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52เธฟ16.83
$0.99MX$16.95
-47.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25เธฟ138
$4.19MX$72.0
1.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79เธฟ612
$10.50MX$180
78.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76เธฟ57.2
$1.57MX$27.00
12.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76เธฟ89.8
$3.26MX$56.0
-15.34%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36เธฟ44.32
$0.64MX$11.02
112.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36เธฟ370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14เธฟ102
$2.60MX$44.58
20.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.74
$1.53MX$26.18
-32.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77เธฟ448
$11.78MX$202
16.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34เธฟ43.79
$1.32MX$22.66
1.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
$23.4KMX$400.9K
18.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$23.9KMX$410.0K
41.76%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124เธฟ4,025
$30.92MX$531
299.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52เธฟ440
$24.22MX$416
-44.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69เธฟ609
$21.56MX$370
-13.31%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8เธฟ2,013
$36.34MX$624
70.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25เธฟ562
$15.95MX$274
8.15%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14เธฟ298
$3.18MX$54.7
187.42%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703เธฟ22.9K
$187MX$3,209
275.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
$6,355MX$109.1K
149.75%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,937
$50.4MX$865
17.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07เธฟ1,142
$42.28MX$726
-17.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,754
$101MX$1,727
14.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1เธฟ2,737
$78.9MX$1,355
6.47%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619เธฟ20.1K
$508MX$8,714
21.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433เธฟ14.1K
$394MX$6,764
9.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
$924MX$15.9K
123.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
$762MX$13.1K
98.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
$1,736MX$29.8K
110.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
$1,166MX$20.0K
125.11%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507เธฟ16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.48
-53.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $508 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $245 per month, with Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga 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 Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga cheaper than Phuket?
Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,617 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga 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 Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $508 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $187 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga?
Dining out is cheaper in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga โ a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga?
At $1,078 in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga more family-friendly?
For families, Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga 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 Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga 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 Tlajomulco de Zรบรฑiga gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.