Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zamora de Hidalgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zamora de Hidalgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,156 in Zamora de Hidalgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,760 in Zamora de Hidalgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,365 in Zamora de Hidalgo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than Zamora de Hidalgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zamora de Hidalgo 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51 ฿147
$8.15 MX$140
-44.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62 ฿1,515
$18.44 MX$317
152.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.49 ฿276
$7.90 MX$136
7.47%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ฿100
$3.65 MX$62.8
-15.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿22.07
$1.26 MX$21.66
-46.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿11.75
$0.93 MX$16.05
-61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿78.8
$1.63 MX$28.09
49.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿118
$2.62 MX$45.14
38.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 ฿71.1
$1.54 MX$26.55
42.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿59.0
$2.55 MX$43.92
-29.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 ฿72.5
$1.93 MX$33.17
15.54%
Eggs
$2.24 ฿72.7
$2.37 MX$40.85
-5.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.60 ฿637
$8.52 MX$147
130.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.72 ฿121
$9.72 MX$167
-61.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.47 ฿438
$13.24 MX$228
1.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.36 ฿109
$3.58 MX$61.5
-6.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿52.5
$1.48 MX$25.43
9.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.3
$1.91 MX$32.78
26.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.6
$1.80 MX$30.91
10.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.76
$1.80 MX$30.99
-15.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ฿47.19
$1.82 MX$31.26
-20.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ฿32.96
$1.29 MX$22.27
-21.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.73
$1.11 MX$19.14
-56.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿139
$4.39 MX$75.5
-2.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.12 ฿621
$17.65 MX$304
8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ฿59.7
$1.93 MX$33.23
-4.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 ฿89.1
$3.18 MX$54.7
-13.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿46.06
$0.65 MX$11.24
118.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.72 ฿381
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 ฿97.6
$3.10 MX$53.3
-3.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 ฿34.00
$1.24 MX$21.38
-15.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.90 ฿452
$9.06 MX$156
53.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 ฿41.94
$1.29 MX$22.24
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K ฿911.1K
$19.6K MX$336.9K
43.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K ฿1.1M
$20.5K MX$353.6K
63.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,964
$62.4 MX$1,074
95.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿453
$23.51 MX$405
-40.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87 ฿613
$28.27 MX$486
-33.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 ฿1,992
$36.06 MX$621
69.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 ฿547
$15.77 MX$271
6.79%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 ฿289
$5.99 MX$103
48.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$691 ฿22.5K
$312 MX$5,370
121.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K ฿525.2K
$4,841 MX$83.3K
233.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 ฿1,878
$51.0 MX$877
13.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39 ฿1,150
$42.87 MX$738
-17.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,685
$100 MX$1,724
13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0 ฿2,698
$97.0 MX$1,668
-14.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$607 ฿19.7K
$516 MX$8,883
17.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 ฿14.6K
$403 MX$6,930
11.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,029 ฿66.0K
$930 MX$16.0K
118.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,493 ฿48.5K
$768 MX$13.2K
94.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,585 ฿116.5K
$1,805 MX$31.1K
98.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,585 ฿84.0K
$1,435 MX$24.7K
80.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Zamora de Hidalgo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$505 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
11.55
-53.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Zamora de Hidalgo: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $516 in Zamora de Hidalgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Zamora de Hidalgo. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $294, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zamora de Hidalgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zamora de Hidalgo cheaper than Phuket?
Zamora de Hidalgo is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,734 in Zamora de Hidalgo 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 Zamora de Hidalgo?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $516 in Zamora de Hidalgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $312 in Zamora de Hidalgo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Zamora de Hidalgo?
Dining out is cheaper in Zamora de Hidalgo – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Zamora de Hidalgo?
At $1,156 in Zamora de Hidalgo versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zamora de Hidalgo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zamora de Hidalgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Zamora de Hidalgo more family-friendly?
For families, Zamora de Hidalgo 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 Zamora de Hidalgo?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Zamora de Hidalgo 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 Zamora de Hidalgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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