Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Todos Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Todos Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,119 in Todos Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,781 in Todos Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $2,444 in Todos Santos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than Todos Santos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Todos Santos 17% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 āļŋ150
$10.55 MX$183
-55.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 āļŋ1,496
$38.66 MX$670
20.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 āļŋ280
$8.03 MX$139
8.09%
Cappuccino
$2.95 āļŋ95.0
$3.33 MX$57.7
-11.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 āļŋ22.52
$1.23 MX$21.39
-43.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 āļŋ12.70
$0.91 MX$15.77
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 āļŋ81.6
$2.41 MX$41.74
4.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 āļŋ122
$3.88 MX$67.2
-2.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 āļŋ71.5
$1.45 MX$25.12
53.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 āļŋ57.8
$2.53 MX$43.78
-28.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 āļŋ70.4
$1.56 MX$27.02
40.38%
Eggs
$2.31 āļŋ74.5
$2.38 MX$41.21
-2.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 āļŋ623
$8.27 MX$143
133.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 āļŋ121
$8.09 MX$140
-53.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 āļŋ426
$10.48 MX$182
26.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 āļŋ107
$2.59 MX$44.89
28.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 āļŋ53.1
$1.41 MX$24.39
17.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 āļŋ73.7
$1.77 MX$30.70
29.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 āļŋ64.1
$1.57 MX$27.26
26.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 āļŋ49.24
$1.92 MX$33.36
-20.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 āļŋ48.77
$1.91 MX$33.17
-20.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 āļŋ33.12
$1.21 MX$20.88
-14.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 āļŋ16.57
$0.98 MX$17.04
-47.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 āļŋ142
$4.25 MX$73.7
3.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 āļŋ625
$10.92 MX$189
77.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 āļŋ58.0
$1.55 MX$26.90
16.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 āļŋ86.4
$2.88 MX$49.83
-6.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 āļŋ46.11
$0.61 MX$10.59
134.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 āļŋ377
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 āļŋ97.9
$2.54 MX$44.05
19.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 āļŋ33.37
$1.56 MX$27.01
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 āļŋ441
$8.43 MX$146
62.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 āļŋ41.85
$1.27 MX$21.96
2.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K āļŋ898.9K
$20.9K MX$362.1K
33.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
$22.1K MX$383.0K
49.49%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 āļŋ3,962
$56.5 MX$980
117.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 āļŋ445
$22.19 MX$385
-37.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 āļŋ608
$28.33 MX$491
-33.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 āļŋ1,970
$35.94 MX$623
70.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 āļŋ541
$16.06 MX$278
4.67%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 āļŋ286
$4.50 MX$78.0
97.11%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 āļŋ22.4K
$206 MX$3,568
238.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K āļŋ517.4K
$3,529 MX$61.2K
355.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 āļŋ1,910
$52.2 MX$905
13.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 āļŋ1,123
$39.10 MX$678
-10.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,646
$91.1 MX$1,579
24.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 āļŋ2,740
$79.9 MX$1,385
6.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 āļŋ19.8K
$517 MX$8,962
19.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 āļŋ14.4K
$399 MX$6,915
12.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 āļŋ67.2K
$919 MX$15.9K
126.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 āļŋ48.2K
$758 MX$13.1K
97.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 āļŋ120.3K
$2,271 MX$39.4K
64.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 āļŋ85.8K
$1,185 MX$20.5K
124.66%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Todos Santos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 āļŋ17.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
11.48
-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Todos Santos: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $517 in Todos Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $39 in Todos Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $250 per month, with Todos Santos 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 Todos Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Todos Santos cheaper than Phuket?
Todos Santos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $1,678 in Todos Santos 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 Todos Santos?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $517 in Todos Santos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $206 in Todos Santos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Todos Santos?
Dining out is cheaper in Todos Santos – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Todos Santos?
At $1,119 in Todos Santos versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Todos Santos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Todos Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Todos Santos more family-friendly?
For families, Todos Santos 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 Todos Santos?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Todos Santos 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 Todos Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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