🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $741 in Tlaxcala versus $1,270 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,189 in Tlaxcala versus $2,304 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Tlaxcala versus $3,339 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Tlaxcala costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Tlaxcala45% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.39MX$93.4
$4.66฿150
15.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.89MX$362
$46.44฿1,496
-55.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.75MX$99.6
$8.68฿280
-33.76%
Cappuccino
$2.83MX$49.03
$2.95฿95.0
-4.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27MX$21.94
$0.70฿22.52
81.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93MX$16.16
$0.39฿12.70
138.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30MX$22.53
$2.53฿81.6
-48.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80MX$31.20
$3.78฿122
-52.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67MX$28.88
$2.22฿71.5
-24.77%
White Bread(500g)
$1.94MX$33.58
$1.80฿57.8
7.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.41MX$24.40
$2.19฿70.4
-35.62%
Eggs
$2.15MX$37.18
$2.31฿74.5
-6.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.87MX$119
$19.34฿623
-64.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.74MX$99.4
$3.77฿121
52.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.51MX$182
$13.22฿426
-20.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.64
$3.33฿107
-33.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.16MX$20.19
$1.65฿53.1
-29.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.67MX$28.88
$2.29฿73.7
-27.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.17MX$20.29
$1.99฿64.1
-41.21%
Potato(1kg)
$0.89MX$15.36
$1.53฿49.24
-41.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07MX$18.58
$1.51฿48.77
-29.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.81MX$14.07
$1.03฿33.12
-21.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10MX$19.08
$0.51฿16.57
115.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16MX$72.0
$4.41฿142
-5.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.03MX$174
$19.41฿625
-48.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37MX$23.66
$1.80฿58.0
-23.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54MX$26.72
$2.68฿86.4
-42.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43MX$7.48
$1.43฿46.11
-69.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.21MX$38.25
$3.04฿97.9
-27.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.55MX$26.91
$1.04฿33.37
49.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.22MX$142
$13.68฿441
-39.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19MX$20.70
$1.30฿41.85
-8.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4KMX$440.3K
$27.9K฿898.9K
-8.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$452.5K
$33.0K฿1.1M
-20.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.34MX$578
$123฿3,962
-72.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.70MX$324
$13.82฿445
35.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.17MX$575
$18.86฿608
75.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.48MX$545
$61.2฿1,970
-48.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.15MX$367
$16.81฿541
25.82%
Cinema Ticket
$4.62MX$80.1
$8.87฿286
-47.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$239MX$4,146
$696฿22.4K
-65.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,536MX$61.3K
$16.1K฿517.4K
-77.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.19MX$523
$59.3฿1,910
-49.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.09MX$833
$34.85฿1,123
37.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110MX$1,911
$113฿3,646
-2.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4MX$1,531
$85.1฿2,740
3.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$245MX$4,250
$615฿19.8K
-60.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$155MX$2,691
$448฿14.4K
-65.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$483MX$8,369
$2,085฿67.2K
-76.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$347MX$6,017
$1,496฿48.2K
-76.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,734฿120.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,662฿85.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tlaxcala
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$690MX$12.0K
$534฿17.2K
29.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.5
5.33
97.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tlaxcala: April 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Tlaxcala and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tlaxcala pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $21 in Tlaxcala vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $291 per month, with Tlaxcala 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
Tlaxcala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tlaxcala?
Tlaxcala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tlaxcala or Phuket?
Tlaxcala pays 29% 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 Tlaxcala and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Tlaxcala versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $239 in Tlaxcala versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tlaxcala or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Tlaxcala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tlaxcala or Phuket?
At $741 in Tlaxcala versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlaxcala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tlaxcala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tlaxcala or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Tlaxcala 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, Tlaxcala or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.