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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $853 in Tlaxcala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,383 in Tlaxcala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,913 in Tlaxcala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than in Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Tlaxcala 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$5.85 MX$98.7

-20.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,060

$25.53 MX$431

26.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿286

$7.13 MX$120

21.74%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.4

$3.20 MX$54.0

-9.38%

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

$0.84 ฿27.78

$1.50 MX$25.35

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.10

$1.07 MX$18.09

-54.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.7

$2.10 MX$35.43

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.46 MX$41.52

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$1.79 MX$30.30

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.36

$2.17 MX$36.72

-35.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.4

$1.59 MX$26.89

1.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.8

$2.37 MX$40.02

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿653

$7.86 MX$133

152.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$6.57 MX$111

-47.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$11.67 MX$197

-2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.4

$2.53 MX$42.73

14.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.29 MX$21.87

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.8

$1.83 MX$30.93

24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.2

$1.30 MX$21.99

63.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.53

$1.00 MX$16.81

47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.73

$1.15 MX$19.40

23.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.11

$0.85 MX$14.39

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.68

$1.19 MX$20.05

-49.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.85 MX$81.9

-11.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$10.18 MX$172

82.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.3

$1.58 MX$26.63

13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.6

$1.69 MX$28.49

75.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

$0.52 MX$8.79

332.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.88 MX$48.67

7.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$1.91 MX$32.20

-43.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$6.05 MX$102

-36.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.97

$1.50 MX$25.27

-4.67%

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

$27.8K ฿914.4K

$25.4K MX$429.5K

9.23%

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

$27.0K ฿888.0K

$27.5K MX$464.4K

-1.89%

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

$105 ฿3,449

$36.14 MX$610

189.98%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$20.94 MX$354

-45.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$36.94 MX$624

-52.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,788

$34.90 MX$589

55.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

$23.84 MX$402

-52.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$5.07 MX$85.6

53.45%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$263 MX$4,438

119.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,094

$34.07 MX$575

86.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿958

$52.4 MX$884

-44.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,167

$126 MX$2,132

-23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,962

$97.8 MX$1,651

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$274 MX$4,618

168.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$170 MX$2,873

194.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.0K

$549 MX$9,273

287.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

$378 MX$6,383

231.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$715 MX$12.1K

-29.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.87

-48.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $274 in Tlaxcala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tlaxcala pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Tlaxcala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $236 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $274 in Tlaxcala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $263 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $853 in Tlaxcala versus $1,265 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 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.