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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $937 in Vilcabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,437 in Vilcabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,937 in Vilcabamba.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than Vilcabamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Vilcabamba 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.22 $3.22

40.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$34.79 $34.79

34.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$7.35 $7.35

15.51%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.06 $2.06

49.51%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.01 $1.01

-32.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.89 $0.89

-59.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.42 $3.42

6.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.93 $0.93

135.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.02 $2.02

-10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.33 $1.33

67.67%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.26 $2.26

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.58 $7.58

158.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$5.85 $5.85

-36.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$7.28 $7.28

85.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.47 $2.47

36.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.27 $1.27

27.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.79 $1.79

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.04 $1.04

91.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.98 $0.98

56.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.02 $1.02

42.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.76 $0.76

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.97 $0.97

-50.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$6.20 $6.20

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$10.07 $10.07

89.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.59 $1.59

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.45 $2.45

11.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.36 $0.36

294.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$24.09 $24.09

-51.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.53 $1.53

96.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.95 $0.95

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$9.86 $9.86

40.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.64 $0.64

101.56%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$20.3K $20.3K

37.89%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$27.5K $27.5K

21.78%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$56.7 $56.7

115.06%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$13.16 $13.16

5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$34.29 $34.29

-44.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$29.81 $29.81

105.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$14.71 $14.71

14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.14 $7.14

24.51%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$257 $257

168.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$5,722 $5,722

182.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$78.5 $78.5

-26.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$20.11 $20.11

75.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$98.7 $98.7

14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$76.3 $76.3

8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$342 $342

77.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$325 $325

37.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$616 $616

229.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$583 $583

156.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,182 $1,182

203.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$798 $798

223.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$442 $442

14.21%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $342 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 14% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Vilcabamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $203 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 14% more on average, 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: $607 in Phuket versus $342 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $257 in Vilcabamba. 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 $937 in Vilcabamba versus $1,223 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 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.