😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,364 in Puertollano versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Puertollano versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,469 in Puertollano versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Puertollano is roughly 9% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Puertollano is 2% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.08€12.32
$4.55฿153
209.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.00€21.88
$46.18฿1,554
-45.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.98€7.86
$8.84฿298
1.58%
Cappuccino
$1.76€1.54
$3.06฿103
-42.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15€1.01
$0.73฿24.42
57.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13€0.99
$0.40฿13.40
182.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.33€2.04
$2.43฿81.8
-4.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30€2.01
$3.78฿127
-39.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21€1.05
$2.26฿76.0
-46.46%
White Bread(500g)
$1.33€1.17
$1.81฿60.9
-26.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75€1.53
$2.25฿75.8
-22.22%
Eggs
$2.04€1.79
$2.25฿75.6
-9.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.68€10.22
$19.51฿656
-40.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.92€5.18
$3.65฿123
62.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.24€8.09
$13.05฿439
-29.20%
Apples(1kg)
$1.78€1.56
$3.23฿109
-44.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53€1.34
$1.62฿54.4
-5.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.49€1.30
$2.38฿80.2
-37.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.33€2.04
$2.03฿68.2
14.78%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97€0.85
$1.53฿51.6
-36.60%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17€1.02
$1.50฿50.5
-22.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18€1.03
$0.98฿32.93
20.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61€0.53
$0.52฿17.40
17.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.40€5.60
$4.44฿149
44.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.06€3.55
$18.32฿616
-77.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.50
$1.86฿62.7
-69.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19€1.04
$2.68฿90.2
-55.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64€1.43
$1.41฿47.49
16.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.69€29.48
$11.70฿394
187.95%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.61€4.03
$3.11฿105
48.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.06€0.93
$1.04฿35.08
1.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.41€25.73
$14.11฿475
108.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.65€1.45
$1.31฿44.13
25.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K€19.6K
$27.8K฿936.0K
-19.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K€26.7K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-8.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.8€64.6
$122฿4,120
-39.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.60€7.52
$13.59฿457
-36.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.46€22.27
$18.70฿629
36.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.70€35.61
$60.5฿2,035
-32.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.17€13.27
$16.98฿572
-10.66%
Cinema Ticket
$4.73€4.14
$9.07฿305
-47.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$454€397
$706฿23.8K
-35.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1K€8,855
$15.8K฿531.8K
-35.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.97€20.10
$58.6฿1,970
-60.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.48€20.54
$35.36฿1,190
-33.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$47.04€41.16
$115฿3,885
-59.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.70€25.11
$83.7฿2,818
-65.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$856€749
$626฿21.1K
36.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$692€606
$445฿15.0K
55.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,335€1,168
$2,040฿68.7K
-34.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,009€883
$1,492฿50.2K
-32.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,483฿117.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,128€987
$500฿16.8K
125.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.46
5.33
-35.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Puertollano: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Puertollano and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Puertollano pays 126% 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: $25.00 in Puertollano vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $289 per month, with Puertollano 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
Puertollano vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Puertollano?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Puertollano or Phuket?
Average pay runs 126% higher in Puertollano, 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 Puertollano and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $856 in Puertollano versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $454 in Puertollano versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Puertollano and in Phuket?
Shoppers in Puertollano pay roughly 45% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Puertollano or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,364 in Puertollano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Puertollano. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Puertollano or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puertollano, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Puertollano or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Puertollano 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Puertollano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Puertollano vs other spots: cost of living compared