🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,294 in Villahermosa.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,199 in Villahermosa.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,105 in Villahermosa.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Villahermosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Villahermosa5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$11.71MX$202
-62.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$37.70MX$650
-14.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$11.77MX$203
-24.13%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$3.53MX$60.9
-17.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$1.33MX$22.90
-33.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.29MX$22.28
-62.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$3.08MX$53.1
-23.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$5.70MX$98.4
-34.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.81MX$31.22
3.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$1.93MX$33.20
-23.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$1.49MX$25.68
4.03%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$2.04MX$35.16
2.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$9.43MX$163
107.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$11.56MX$199
-70.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$14.66MX$253
-22.37%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$3.73MX$64.3
-20.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$1.44MX$24.86
16.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$1.80MX$30.98
22.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$1.34MX$23.16
61.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.73MX$29.81
-12.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.49MX$25.74
-10.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.49MX$25.67
-24.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.36MX$23.43
-59.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$7.08MX$122
-39.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$10.02MX$173
90.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$2.94MX$50.6
-39.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$7.19MX$124
-61.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.61MX$10.49
265.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$25.25MX$435
-9.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.28MX$39.25
32.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$2.29MX$39.42
-55.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$11.72MX$202
-66.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.51MX$26.03
-1.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$24.6KMX$423.6K
8.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$27.9KMX$480.7K
-3.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$65.8MX$1,135
55.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$31.56MX$544
-64.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$34.57MX$596
-49.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$55.4MX$955
-6.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$4.72MX$81.4
62.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$333MX$5,742
68.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$4,677MX$80.6K
146.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$68.2MX$1,175
-7.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$82.1MX$1,415
19.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$64.9MX$1,119
36.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$517MX$8,906
42.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$471MX$8,125
2.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,694MX$29.2K
24.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$1,256MX$21.6K
-2.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$1,296MX$22.3K
100.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villahermosa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Villahermosa: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $517 in Villahermosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Villahermosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $302 per month, with Phuket 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 Villahermosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villahermosa cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,942 in Villahermosa 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 Villahermosa?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $517 in Villahermosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $333 in Villahermosa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Villahermosa?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Villahermosa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Villahermosa?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,294 in Villahermosa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Villahermosa. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Villahermosa more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Villahermosa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Villahermosa?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Villahermosa 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Villahermosa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.