🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $669 in Porlamar versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $936 in Porlamar versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,204 in Porlamar versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Porlamar costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Porlamar50% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.50VES 2,635
$4.56฿149
-1.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7VES 29.7K
$46.63฿1,519
8.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.09VES 4,740
$8.47฿276
-4.49%
Cappuccino
$1.54VES 900
$3.03฿98.6
-49.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69VES 989
$0.69฿22.45
144.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75VES 438
$0.37฿11.92
102.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.33VES 779
$2.49฿81.0
-46.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30VES 1,345
$3.66฿119
-37.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68VES 983
$2.18฿71.0
-22.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53VES 894
$1.90฿62.0
-19.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.13VES 661
$2.20฿71.6
-48.64%
Eggs
$1.95VES 1,145
$2.22฿72.4
-12.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.07VES 3,555
$19.99฿651
-69.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.69VES 3,920
$3.66฿119
82.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.53VES 4,411
$13.25฿432
-43.17%
Apples(1kg)
$4.22VES 2,474
$3.23฿105
30.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71VES 1,003
$1.70฿55.3
0.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53VES 895
$2.39฿78.0
-35.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.73VES 1,014
$2.08฿67.7
-16.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.66VES 974
$1.59฿51.8
4.40%
Onion(1kg)
$1.52VES 889
$1.48฿48.31
2.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.82VES 1,068
$1.03฿33.54
76.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98VES 574
$0.52฿16.83
88.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.94VES 1,721
$4.25฿138
-30.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.44VES 3,773
$18.79฿612
-65.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79VES 465
$1.76฿57.2
-55.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64VES 964
$2.76฿89.8
-40.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49VES 288
$1.36฿44.32
-63.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.02VES 2,942
$3.14฿102
59.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.07VES 1,798
$1.04฿33.74
195.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$13.77฿448
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.52VES 304
$1.34฿43.79
-61.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.7K฿901.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.9K฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$29.43VES 17.2K
$124฿4,025
-76.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.86VES 5,775
$13.52฿440
-27.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.40VES 20.2K
$18.69฿609
84.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.65VES 29.1K
$61.8฿2,013
-19.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.07VES 5,898
$17.25฿562
-41.62%
Cinema Ticket
$2.99VES 1,749
$9.14฿298
-67.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$703฿22.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.9K฿517.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$59.5฿1,937
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$35.07฿1,142
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$115฿3,754
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$84.1฿2,737
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$198VES 116.1K
$619฿20.1K
-67.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$203VES 119.1K
$433฿14.1K
-53.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,062฿67.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,511฿49.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$401VES 234.7K
$3,646฿118.7K
-89.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$150VES 87.7K
$2,626฿85.5K
-94.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Porlamar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$212VES 124.4K
$507฿16.5K
-58.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.33
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Porlamar: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Porlamar and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 139% 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: $51.0 in Porlamar vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $293, with Porlamar 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
Porlamar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Porlamar?
Porlamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Porlamar or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 139% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Porlamar and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Porlamar versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Porlamar and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Porlamar or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Porlamar – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Porlamar or Phuket?
At $669 in Porlamar versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Porlamar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Porlamar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Porlamar or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Porlamar 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, Porlamar or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Porlamar and Phuket 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 Porlamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.