Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tlaxcala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tlaxcala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $737 in Tlaxcala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,193 in Tlaxcala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,650 in Tlaxcala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 71% more expensive than in Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tlaxcala 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$5.34 MX$93.1

-15.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$20.78 MX$362

123.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$5.95 MX$104

45.38%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.87 MX$50.1

7.67%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$1.27 MX$22.12

-46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.94 MX$16.43

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$1.36 MX$23.66

77.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$1.88 MX$32.85

102.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.64 MX$28.52

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$1.97 MX$34.31

-7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.35 MX$23.62

61.48%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$2.23 MX$38.96

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$6.87 MX$120

190.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$6.02 MX$105

-39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$10.52 MX$183

28.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.16 MX$37.61

52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.16 MX$20.28

45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$1.65 MX$28.73

41.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.13 MX$19.69

79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$0.83 MX$14.52

92.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.08 MX$18.81

37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$0.78 MX$13.57

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$1.07 MX$18.58

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$4.28 MX$74.6

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$9.67 MX$169

92.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$1.42 MX$24.70

26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$1.47 MX$25.55

90.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

$0.40 MX$7.04

255.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$2.19 MX$38.16

41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$1.55 MX$27.08

-32.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$8.11 MX$141

68.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.23 MX$21.42

6.50%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$26.1K MX$455.7K

4.39%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.6K MX$447.2K

29.53%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$32.82 MX$572

275.26%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$18.46 MX$322

-25.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$34.19 MX$596

-45.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

$31.67 MX$552

90.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

$20.97 MX$366

-19.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$4.58 MX$79.8

94.10%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$241 MX$4,207

184.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$3,597 MX$62.7K

332.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$29.43 MX$513

95.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$48.55 MX$847

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$113 MX$1,964

2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$88.3 MX$1,539

-3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

$243 MX$4,230

154.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$154 MX$2,677

188.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

$485 MX$8,453

322.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

$342 MX$5,959

340.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$676 MX$11.8K

-25.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.5

-49.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $243 in Tlaxcala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tlaxcala pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Tlaxcala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $213 per month, with Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tlaxcala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Tlaxcala. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $243 in Tlaxcala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $241 in Tlaxcala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tlaxcala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Tlaxcala versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlaxcala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tlaxcala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.