😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,225 in Yaguajay.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,696 in Yaguajay.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,166 in Yaguajay.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 1% more expensive than in Yaguajay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Yaguajay10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$5.94CUP 143
-25.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$18.02CUP 433
79.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$7.02CUP 168
27.21%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$1.29CUP 30.87
124.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$1.24CUP 29.69
-29.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.09CUP 26.16
-55.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$1.47CUP 35.31
59.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$1.79CUP 42.98
107.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$2.96CUP 71.1
-36.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$0.81CUP 19.51
81.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$2.38CUP 57.1
-34.87%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$2.93CUP 70.3
-28.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$5.54CUP 133
253.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$5.32CUP 128
-35.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$11.94CUP 286
-4.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$4.86CUP 117
-38.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$1.13CUP 27.03
48.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$1.27CUP 30.37
74.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$1.38CUP 33.02
56.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.83CUP 43.91
-16.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$2.80CUP 67.3
-52.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$0.97CUP 23.30
16.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.13CUP 27.06
-51.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$3.40CUP 81.7
25.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$9.87CUP 237
93.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.80CUP 43.13
-1.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$1.94CUP 46.49
43.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.18CUP 4.28
1138.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$19.60CUP 471
16.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.02CUP 48.56
50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$0.41CUP 9.89
148.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$19.77CUP 474
-80.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.28CUP 30.69
16.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$67.7KCUP 1.6M
-60.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$76.3KCUP 1.8M
-64.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$34.93CUP 838
193.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$39.81CUP 955
-71.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$251CUP 6,028
-93.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$39.76CUP 954
30.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$15.21CUP 365
-27.22%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$1.02CUP 24.40
653.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$114CUP 2,741
390.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$11.0KCUP 262.9K
5.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$39.85CUP 957
58.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$29.69CUP 713
-0.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$74.1CUP 1,778
32.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$79.1CUP 1,898
11.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$369CUP 8,858
100.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$378CUP 9,073
27.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,040CUP 25.0K
102.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$609CUP 14.6K
101.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$391CUP 9,376
825.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$346CUP 8,314
651.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$53.9CUP 1,293
815.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
8.33
-33.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Yaguajay: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $369 in Yaguajay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 816% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Yaguajay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $242 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Yaguajay?
Average pay runs 816% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $369 in Yaguajay. 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 $114 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 13% 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 $1,225 in Yaguajay versus $1,232 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 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.