😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,204 in Yaguajay.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,691 in Yaguajay.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,179 in Yaguajay.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Yaguajay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Yaguajay10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$5.99CUP 144
-25.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$17.97CUP 431
153.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$6.90CUP 166
26.96%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.28CUP 30.62
132.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$1.23CUP 29.53
-43.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.11CUP 26.66
-64.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.47CUP 35.19
72.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$1.70CUP 40.83
120.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$2.98CUP 71.5
-27.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$0.77CUP 18.46
136.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$2.37CUP 56.8
-8.02%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$3.03CUP 72.6
-25.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$5.46CUP 131
266.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$5.23CUP 125
-30.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$11.88CUP 285
14.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$4.80CUP 115
-32.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.13CUP 27.03
45.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.27CUP 30.46
83.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.32CUP 31.79
56.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.83CUP 43.97
-15.30%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$2.79CUP 66.9
-47.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.97CUP 23.34
1.03%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.09CUP 26.09
-55.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$3.45CUP 82.8
26.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$10.16CUP 244
82.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.78CUP 42.69
4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.97CUP 47.39
34.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.21CUP 5.14
576.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$19.78CUP 475
-41.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.97CUP 47.24
60.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.41CUP 9.88
151.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$20.39CUP 489
-31.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.26CUP 30.25
6.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$68.7KCUP 1.6M
-59.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$74.9KCUP 1.8M
-55.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$35.63CUP 855
245.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$40.20CUP 965
-65.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$246CUP 5,901
-92.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$40.53CUP 973
49.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$15.13CUP 363
13.42%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$1.01CUP 24.32
778.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$115CUP 2,769
496.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$11.3KCUP 271.8K
39.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$40.67CUP 976
45.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$29.44CUP 707
17.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$73.8CUP 1,771
56.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$79.6CUP 1,910
5.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$360CUP 8,634
72.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$386CUP 9,255
15.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$1,020CUP 24.5K
99.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$604CUP 14.5K
147.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$388CUP 9,317
789.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$347CUP 8,320
630.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$53.7CUP 1,289
819.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.33
-36.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Yaguajay: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $360 in Yaguajay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 819% 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 $18.00 in Yaguajay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $241 per month, with Yaguajay 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 Yaguajay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yaguajay cheaper than Phuket?
Yaguajay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Yaguajay?
Average pay runs 819% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Yaguajay?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $360 in Yaguajay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $115 in Yaguajay. 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 Yaguajay?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Yaguajay?
At $1,204 in Yaguajay versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yaguajay but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yaguajay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Yaguajay more family-friendly?
For families, Yaguajay 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 Yaguajay?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Yaguajay 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 Yaguajay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.