Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $944 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,493 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Zacatecas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Zacatecas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zacatecas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.02 MX$105

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$31.09 MX$541

48.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.28 MX$127

21.43%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.96 MX$51.6

3.38%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.22 MX$21.25

-40.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.70 MX$12.21

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.81 MX$31.45

34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.79 MX$65.9

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.39 MX$24.21

62.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.14 MX$37.21

-15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.57 MX$27.26

43.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.20 MX$38.31

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.26 MX$126

168.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.89 MX$103

-38.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.10 MX$158

43.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.74 MX$30.35

85.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.49 MX$25.96

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.78 MX$30.97

33.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.43 MX$24.94

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.80 MX$31.41

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.02 MX$35.16

-25.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.37 MX$23.82

-28.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.75 MX$13.11

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.17 MX$72.6

6.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.90 MX$190

68.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.63 MX$28.32

14.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.11 MX$54.1

-13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.49 MX$8.48

187.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$16.10 MX$280

-27.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.08 MX$36.19

49.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.94 MX$16.36

10.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$11.50 MX$200

22.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.30 MX$22.70

0.77%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.2K MX$422.0K

14.76%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$23.9K MX$416.8K

38.77%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$22.53 MX$392

443.45%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.09 MX$141

67.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.10 MX$437

-25.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$23.52 MX$410

157.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$7.80 MX$136

117.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.15 MX$72.3

118.55%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$191 MX$3,324

270.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,190 MX$55.5K

395.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$43.23 MX$753

35.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$42.35 MX$737

-16.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.9 MX$1,531

31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$42.12 MX$733

98.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$239 MX$4,162

161.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$403 MX$7,013

10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$366 MX$6,372

457.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$768 MX$13.4K

94.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$590 MX$10.3K

336.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$435 MX$7,577

14.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.48

-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $239 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 15% 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $221 per month, with Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacatecas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $239 in Zacatecas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $191 in Zacatecas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $944 in Zacatecas versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zacatecas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.