Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tulcán Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tulcán

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $878 in Tulcán.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,320 in Tulcán.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,762 in Tulcán.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than Tulcán, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tulcán 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.59 $4.59

2.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$15.23 $15.23

197.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.05 $5.05

66.93%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.52 $1.52

92.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.58 $0.58

18.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.49 $0.49

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.95 $1.95

23.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.03 $4.03

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.73 $0.73

205.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.49 $1.49

22.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.07 $1.07

102.80%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.75 $1.75

26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.52 $8.52

131.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.78 $7.78

-53.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.35 $8.35

62.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.03 $2.03

61.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.16 $1.16

38.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.06 $1.06

127.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.29 $1.29

61.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.38 $1.38

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.05 $1.05

40.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.85 $0.85

16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.05 $1.05

-51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.12 $6.12

-27.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.23 $8.23

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.57 $1.57

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.93 $2.93

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.33 $0.33

315.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$24.20 $24.20

-52.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.47 $1.47

105.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.46 $1.46

-32.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.08 $10.08

39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.68 $0.68

100.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

43.59%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.9K $25.9K

26.89%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.91 $34.91

248.61%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$14.52 $14.52

-6.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.33 $29.33

-37.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$29.41 $29.41

104.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.57 $14.57

17.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.17 $7.17

21.20%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$79.3 $79.3

774.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,610 $8,610

82.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$30.17 $30.17

97.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$43.90 $43.90

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$90.2 $90.2

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$85.9 $85.9

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$345 $345

77.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$320 $320

36.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$628 $628

233.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$489 $489

208.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,068 $1,068

251.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$826 $826

216.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.19

-52.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tulcán: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $345 in Tulcán. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Tulcán for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $203 per month, with Tulcán 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 Tulcán: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulcán is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,317 in Tulcán 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $345 in Tulcán. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $79.3 in Tulcán. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Tulcán versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulcán but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tulcán the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tulcán 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 Tulcán 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 Tulcán gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.