Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuguegarao and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $570 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$570

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tuguegarao and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tuguegarao and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $570 in Tuguegarao versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Tuguegarao $570
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $909 in Tuguegarao versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Tuguegarao $909
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,249 in Tuguegarao versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Tuguegarao $1,249
Phuket $3,154

Living in Tuguegarao costs roughly 55% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tuguegarao 58% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 ₱101

$4.47 ฿151

-64.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.12 ₱1,030

$32.41 ฿1,094

-50.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.68 ₱171

$8.81 ฿297

-69.58%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ₱111

$2.83 ฿95.5

-38.52%

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

$0.42 ₱26.97

$0.87 ฿29.43

-51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.65

$0.49 ฿16.67

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱65.1

$2.56 ฿86.4

-60.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱97.5

$3.68 ฿124

-58.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱105

$1.66 ฿56.0

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱73.4

$1.46 ฿49.35

-21.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₱43.28

$1.50 ฿50.6

-54.67%

Eggs

$1.98 ₱126

$2.09 ฿70.5

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.92 ₱314

$19.07 ฿644

-74.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₱209

$3.30 ฿111

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 ₱508

$10.91 ฿368

-27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱141

$2.93 ฿99.0

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱96.4

$1.69 ฿57.1

-10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.0

$2.08 ฿70.1

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱110

$1.51 ฿51.0

13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱111

$1.38 ฿46.56

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱39.24

$1.07 ฿35.99

-42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.17

$0.52 ฿17.52

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 ₱117

$4.20 ฿142

-56.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 ₱539

$18.79 ฿634

-55.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱61.5

$1.82 ฿61.5

-47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱129

$2.84 ฿95.9

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.16

$1.45 ฿49.03

-83.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 ₱855

$56.7 ฿1,913

-76.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.83

$3.02 ฿102

-75.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.40

$1.02 ฿34.36

-76.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$3.69 ฿125

-50.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₱68.8

$1.47 ฿49.81

-26.53%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$26.8K ฿904.3K

-20.33%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿901.3K

-29.75%

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

$31.51 ₱2,013

$96.4 ฿3,254

-67.30%

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

$16.94 ₱1,082

$11.26 ฿380

50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 ₱1,467

$16.85 ฿569

36.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 ₱2,018

$67.2 ฿2,270

-53.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 ₱335

$10.73 ฿362

-51.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 ₱316

$7.50 ฿253

-34.00%

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

$132 ₱8,409

$476 ฿16.1K

-72.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱682.3K

$11.3K ฿380.4K

-5.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 ₱1,826

$62.4 ฿2,106

-54.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.15 ₱1,223

$28.41 ฿959

-32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.08 ₱2,497

$94.3 ฿3,184

-58.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.29 ₱1,488

$85.8 ฿2,898

-72.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₱15.7K

$716 ฿24.2K

-65.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ₱10.8K

$491 ฿16.6K

-65.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₱30.8K

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-75.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱22.3K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-75.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 ₱158.5K

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-40.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,104 ₱70.5K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-63.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ₱12.9K

$502 ฿17.0K

-59.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Tuguegarao: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tuguegarao

$170 29.8%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 56.4% $96

Accommodation & Living

Tuguegarao

$169 29.6%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 191% $322

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tuguegarao

$71 12.5%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 74.3% $53

Eating Out

Tuguegarao

$52 9.2%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 132% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Tuguegarao

$50 8.7%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 146% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Tuguegarao

$41 7.3%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 98.2% $41

Getting Around

Tuguegarao

$16 2.9%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 334% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Tuguegarao and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 2.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $16 in Tuguegarao vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $266 per month, with Tuguegarao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:57 6:57 AM

05:57 5:57 AM

1 h behind Tuguegarao

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,334

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tuguegarao Phuket 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Tuguegarao
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tuguegarao vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuguegarao is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Tuguegarao. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Tuguegarao versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $132 in Tuguegarao versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $570 in Tuguegarao versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Tuguegarao but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tuguegarao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tuguegarao and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Tuguegarao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.