Cost of Living Comparison Between Vigan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Vigan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $677 in Vigan versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,080 in Vigan versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Vigan versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Vigan costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vigan 50% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱211

$4.56 ฿149

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.03 ₱791

$46.63 ฿1,519

-72.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.82 ₱111

$8.47 ฿276

-78.51%

Cappuccino

$1.75 ₱106

$3.03 ฿98.6

-42.24%

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

$0.65 ₱39.55

$0.69 ฿22.45

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.50

$0.37 ฿11.92

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱74.6

$2.49 ฿81.0

-50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱109

$3.66 ฿119

-50.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$2.18 ฿71.0

-12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱72.3

$1.90 ฿62.0

-37.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₱44.24

$2.20 ฿71.6

-66.82%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱137

$2.22 ฿72.4

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 ₱533

$19.99 ฿651

-56.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₱225

$3.66 ฿119

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 ₱460

$13.25 ฿432

-42.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱165

$3.23 ฿105

-15.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₱100.0

$1.70 ฿55.3

-2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱140

$2.39 ฿78.0

-3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱73.2

$2.08 ฿67.7

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱99.0

$1.59 ฿51.8

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 ₱130

$1.48 ฿48.31

45.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱44.08

$1.03 ฿33.54

-29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱46.31

$0.52 ฿16.83

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ₱143

$4.25 ฿138

-44.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 ₱531

$18.79 ฿612

-53.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱62.6

$1.76 ฿57.2

-41.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱105

$2.76 ฿89.8

-37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.19

$1.36 ฿44.32

-79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱44.93

$3.14 ฿102

-76.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₱10.96

$1.04 ฿33.74

-82.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₱146

$13.77 ฿448

-82.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱70.3

$1.34 ฿43.79

-13.43%

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

$14.0K ₱849.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-49.48%

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

$16.0K ₱972.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-52.71%

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

$52.3 ₱3,175

$124 ฿4,025

-57.69%

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

$34.62 ₱2,102

$13.52 ฿440

156.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.80 ₱1,567

$18.69 ฿609

38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 ₱2,045

$61.8 ฿2,013

-45.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱268

$17.25 ฿562

-74.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 ₱340

$9.14 ฿298

-38.84%

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

$35.46 ₱2,153

$703 ฿22.9K

-94.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,684 ₱284.4K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-70.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.46 ₱3,003

$59.5 ฿1,937

-16.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.86 ₱1,692

$35.07 ฿1,142

-20.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 ₱3,821

$115 ฿3,754

-45.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.97 ₱2,852

$84.1 ฿2,737

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.3K

$619 ฿20.1K

-56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.6K

$433 ฿14.1K

-59.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₱36.2K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-71.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱23.8K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-74.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,484 ₱150.8K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-31.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$960 ₱58.3K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-63.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Vigan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Vigan and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Vigan vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $293 per month, with Vigan 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

Vigan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vigan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,016 in Vigan and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $268 in Vigan versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $35.46 in Vigan versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Vigan – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $677 in Vigan versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vigan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vigan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vigan 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.

Safety-wise, Vigan 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 Vigan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.