Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vilcabamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vilcabamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $940 in Vilcabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,457 in Vilcabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,975 in Vilcabamba.

Living in Phuket is roughly 34% more expensive than in Vilcabamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Vilcabamba 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.19 $3.19

40.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$35.49 $35.49

28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.63 $7.63

14.81%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.17 $2.17

36.87%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.98 $0.98

-29.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.88 $0.88

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.98 $1.98

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.55 $3.55

5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.91 $0.91

136.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.02 $2.02

-9.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.34 $1.34

62.69%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.26 $2.26

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.48 $7.48

167.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.84 $5.84

-37.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.06 $7.06

92.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.55 $2.55

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.21 $1.21

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.72 $1.72

35.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.04 $1.04

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.02 $1.02

51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.03 $1.03

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.78 $0.78

25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.01 $1.01

-52.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.43 $6.43

-32.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$11.14 $11.14

66.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.60 $1.60

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.48 $2.48

6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.33 $0.33

330.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$24.35 $24.35

-52.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.52 $1.52

108.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.96 $0.96

7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$10.17 $10.17

36.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.65 $0.65

106.15%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.7K $19.7K

41.30%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.0K $27.0K

23.48%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$57.3 $57.3

114.75%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.40 $13.40

2.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$35.18 $35.18

-47.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$29.98 $29.98

102.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.69 $14.69

16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.31 $7.31

21.34%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$259 $259

165.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,641 $5,641

179.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$80.2 $80.2

-26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$20.07 $20.07

72.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$96.4 $96.4

19.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$74.7 $74.7

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$339 $339

83.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$324 $324

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$633 $633

221.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$585 $585

155.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,188 $1,188

190.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$800 $800

216.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$464 $464

6.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.6

-49.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $339 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Vilcabamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $204 per month, with Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vilcabamba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $339 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $259 in Vilcabamba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $940 in Vilcabamba versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vilcabamba but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vilcabamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.