😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,323 in Puertollano versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,871 in Puertollano versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,419 in Puertollano versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Puertollano is roughly 5% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Puertollano1% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.10€12.14
$4.70฿154
200.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.69€22.12
$45.37฿1,483
-43.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.13€7.87
$8.43฿276
8.30%
Cappuccino
$1.75€1.51
$2.93฿95.7
-40.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14€0.98
$0.69฿22.42
65.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14€0.98
$0.37฿12.00
208.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.25€1.94
$2.41฿78.7
-6.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€1.94
$3.72฿122
-39.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22€1.05
$2.23฿73.0
-45.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.34€1.15
$1.83฿59.9
-26.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.65€1.42
$2.17฿70.9
-23.96%
Eggs
$2.14€1.84
$2.21฿72.4
-3.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.69€10.06
$19.74฿645
-40.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.78€4.97
$3.63฿119
59.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.32€8.03
$13.53฿442
-31.12%
Apples(1kg)
$1.79€1.54
$3.28฿107
-45.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46€1.25
$1.61฿52.7
-9.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.49€1.28
$2.41฿78.7
-38.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.43€2.10
$2.08฿68.1
16.83%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95€0.82
$1.53฿49.97
-37.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19€1.03
$1.48฿48.41
-19.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13€0.98
$0.99฿32.32
14.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56€0.48
$0.51฿16.68
9.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.38€5.49
$4.41฿144
44.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$2.26€1.95
$19.38฿634
-88.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.61€0.52
$1.78฿58.1
-65.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17€1.01
$2.71฿88.7
-56.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.63€1.41
$1.37฿44.83
18.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.51€29.71
$11.39฿372
202.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.49€3.87
$3.02฿98.7
48.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05€0.90
$0.99฿32.51
6.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.09€25.05
$14.10฿461
106.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.66€1.43
$1.36฿44.55
22.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K€19.4K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-20.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K€26.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-6.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$74.1€63.8
$122฿3,978
-39.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.94€7.70
$13.57฿444
-34.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.34€21.82
$18.31฿599
38.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.39€34.78
$60.2฿1,969
-32.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.09€13.00
$17.14฿560
-11.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.67€4.02
$8.69฿284
-46.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$455€392
$693฿22.7K
-34.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1K€8,726
$15.7K฿512.8K
-35.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.89€19.71
$59.5฿1,946
-61.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.00€19.81
$34.77฿1,137
-33.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$45.66€39.32
$115฿3,746
-60.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.79€24.79
$83.3฿2,723
-65.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$841€724
$613฿20.0K
37.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$698€601
$437฿14.3K
59.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,328€1,144
$2,094฿68.5K
-36.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,021€879
$1,509฿49.3K
-32.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,861€3,325
$3,749฿122.6K
2.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,028€1,747
$2,616฿85.5K
-22.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puertollano
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,173€1,010
$508฿16.6K
130.91%
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: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $841 in Puertollano and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Puertollano pays 131% 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: $26.00 in Puertollano vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $293 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Puertollano or Phuket?
Puertollano pays 131% more on average, 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: $841 in Puertollano versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $455 in Puertollano versus $693 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 Phuket?
Shoppers in Puertollano pay roughly 50% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Puertollano or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,323 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 5% 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