ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,046 in Tlalnepantla.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,670 in Tlalnepantla.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,295 in Tlalnepantla.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Tlalnepantla, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Tlalnepantla22% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$10.73MX$188
-56.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$48.31MX$845
-3.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$7.88MX$138
12.18%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$3.54MX$62.0
-15.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$1.35MX$23.68
-45.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$1.03MX$17.98
-64.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$2.93MX$51.3
-16.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$4.63MX$81.1
-22.03%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.37MX$24.03
64.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.66MX$46.56
-30.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$1.92MX$33.63
16.67%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$2.59MX$45.41
-10.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$9.65MX$169
103.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$8.49MX$149
-57.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$11.81MX$207
10.92%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$2.99MX$52.3
13.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$1.72MX$30.05
-4.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.06MX$36.05
16.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$2.07MX$36.19
-1.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$2.12MX$37.11
-26.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$2.29MX$40.00
-34.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.45MX$25.35
-29.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$1.33MX$23.23
-63.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$4.15MX$72.7
7.23%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$14.63MX$256
29.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.69MX$29.55
5.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$3.63MX$63.5
-24.24%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$0.61MX$10.73
129.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$23.14MX$405
-50.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$1.61MX$28.13
93.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$1.19MX$20.81
-15.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$5.34MX$93.5
163.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.36MX$23.79
-0.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$18.6KMX$325.2K
46.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$21.7KMX$378.9K
52.05%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$41.18MX$721
203.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$27.35MX$479
-50.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$34.27MX$600
-45.96%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$36.34MX$636
69.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$15.86MX$278
6.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$6.48MX$113
41.82%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$350MX$6,118
99.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$3,580MX$62.7K
335.50%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$56.9MX$996
1.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$44.58MX$780
-20.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$102MX$1,785
10.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$106MX$1,853
-18.40%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$476MX$8,322
29.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$269MX$4,709
65.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$661MX$11.6K
209.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$424MX$7,416
252.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$1,722MX$30.1K
119.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$1,403MX$24.6K
88.79%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tlalnepantla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.34
-53.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Tlalnepantla: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $476 in Tlalnepantla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Tlalnepantla. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $287, with Tlalnepantla cheaper for home cooking.
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 Tlalnepantla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tlalnepantla cheaper than Phuket?
Tlalnepantla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,569 in Tlalnepantla 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 Tlalnepantla?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $476 in Tlalnepantla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $350 in Tlalnepantla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Tlalnepantla?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tlalnepantla?
At $1,046 in Tlalnepantla versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tlalnepantla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tlalnepantla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tlalnepantla more family-friendly?
For families, Tlalnepantla 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 Tlalnepantla?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tlalnepantla 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 Tlalnepantla gentler on the wallet â expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.