Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo Alto and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo Alto and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Trujillo Alto versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,586 in Trujillo Alto versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,439 in Trujillo Alto versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Trujillo Alto is roughly 39% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Trujillo Alto is 30% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 $12.96

$4.55 ฿153

184.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$46.18 ฿1,550

74.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 $9.56

$8.84 ฿297

8.14%

Cappuccino

$2.95 $2.95

$3.06 ฿103

-3.59%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.73 ฿24.36

132.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.40 ฿13.37

157.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.43 ฿81.6

25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.78 ฿127

7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.26 ฿75.8

-23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.81 ฿60.8

83.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.25 ฿75.7

-0.89%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.25 ฿75.4

119.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$19.51 ฿655

-55.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 $8.31

$3.65 ฿122

127.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$13.05 ฿438

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.23 ฿109

34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.62 ฿54.3

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.38 ฿80.0

62.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.03 ฿68.0

95.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.53 ฿51.5

166.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.50 ฿50.4

95.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.98 ฿32.85

217.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.52 ฿17.36

194.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.44 ฿149

127.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$18.32 ฿615

-17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.86 ฿62.6

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.68 ฿90.0

17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.11 ฿104

218.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 ฿35.00

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.11 ฿474

4.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.31 ฿44.02

-26.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K $34.9K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

25.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K $26.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-19.10%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$317 $317

$122 ฿4,110

159.10%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$13.59 ฿456

340.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$18.70 ฿628

292.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 $29.48

$60.5 ฿2,031

-51.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.98 $9.98

$16.98 ฿570

-41.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$9.07 ฿305

33.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$356 $356

$706 ฿23.7K

-49.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,429 $5,429

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-65.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.35 $40.35

$58.6 ฿1,965

-31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 $54.2

$35.36 ฿1,187

53.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$115 ฿3,876

-22.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$83.7 ฿2,811

29.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 $690

$626 ฿21.0K

10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 $559

$445 ฿14.9K

25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 $1,814

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-36.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,852 $1,852

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-46.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,626 $1,626

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-36.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,342 $3,342

$500 ฿16.8K

568.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Trujillo Alto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Trujillo Alto and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trujillo Alto pays 569% 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: $81.0 in Trujillo Alto vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $289 per month, with Phuket 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

Trujillo Alto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 569% higher in Trujillo Alto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $690 in Trujillo Alto versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $356 in Trujillo Alto versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $81.0 in Trujillo Alto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,734 in Trujillo Alto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Trujillo Alto. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Trujillo Alto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Trujillo Alto 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Trujillo Alto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.