🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,094 in Villahermosa versus $1,247 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,790 in Villahermosa versus $2,276 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,487 in Villahermosa versus $3,306 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Villahermosa costs roughly 12% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Villahermosa19% lower, Phuket7% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.63MX$185
$4.59฿147
131.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.84MX$605
$46.83฿1,501
-25.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.62MX$184
$8.70฿279
22.07%
Cappuccino
$3.15MX$54.7
$2.92฿93.7
7.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18MX$20.43
$0.68฿21.92
73.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93MX$16.17
$0.40฿12.70
132.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.81MX$48.78
$2.51฿80.4
11.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.20MX$90.2
$3.80฿122
36.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.34MX$23.25
$2.16฿69.3
-37.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63MX$28.36
$1.88฿60.3
-13.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.29MX$22.37
$2.16฿69.2
-40.28%
Eggs
$2.32MX$40.34
$2.22฿71.2
4.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.64MX$150
$19.57฿627
-55.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12MX$176
$3.80฿122
166.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.13MX$228
$13.41฿430
-2.09%
Apples(1kg)
$3.34MX$58.0
$3.26฿104
2.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30MX$22.65
$1.61฿51.7
-19.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.55MX$26.98
$2.31฿74.0
-32.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.18MX$20.41
$2.06฿66.0
-42.72%
Potato(1kg)
$1.57MX$27.21
$1.61฿51.5
-2.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33MX$23.13
$1.44฿46.26
-7.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.28MX$22.29
$1.03฿33.01
24.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10MX$19.11
$0.48฿15.39
129.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12MX$88.9
$4.50฿144
13.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.14MX$176
$19.18฿615
-47.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.62MX$45.52
$1.82฿58.4
43.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.29MX$109
$2.69฿86.2
133.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.64MX$11.15
$1.38฿44.16
-53.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.76฿377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.16MX$37.42
$3.11฿99.6
-30.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54MX$26.66
$1.00฿32.18
54.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.06MX$140
$13.74฿441
-41.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MX$22.21
$1.30฿41.61
-1.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.6KMX$393.0K
$27.4K฿877.0K
-17.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$452.7K
$33.0K฿1.1M
-21.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.3MX$1,047
$125฿4,004
-51.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.49MX$495
$13.74฿440
107.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.13MX$506
$18.61฿597
56.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.42MX$771
$60.6฿1,941
-26.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.97MX$277
$17.15฿550
-6.88%
Cinema Ticket
$3.68MX$63.9
$9.01฿289
-59.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$298MX$5,165
$698฿22.4K
-57.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,351MX$75.5K
$16.1K฿516.5K
-72.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3MX$994
$59.2฿1,898
-3.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.18MX$697
$34.86฿1,118
15.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.8MX$1,333
$114฿3,662
-32.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.4MX$1,013
$85.8฿2,751
-31.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$344MX$5,969
$619฿19.8K
-44.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$371MX$6,442
$437฿14.0K
-15.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$831MX$14.4K
$2,075฿66.5K
-59.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$825MX$14.3K
$1,509฿48.4K
-45.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,764฿120.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,278MX$22.2K
$2,694฿86.4K
-52.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Villahermosa
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$528฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.5
5.33
115.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Villahermosa: April 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Villahermosa and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $35 in Villahermosa vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $292 per month, with Villahermosa 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
Villahermosa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Villahermosa?
Villahermosa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,641 in Villahermosa and $1,870 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.
What is the rent difference between Villahermosa and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $344 in Villahermosa versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $298 in Villahermosa versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Villahermosa or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Villahermosa – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Villahermosa or Phuket?
At $1,094 in Villahermosa versus $1,247 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Villahermosa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Villahermosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Villahermosa or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Villahermosa 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, Villahermosa or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Villahermosa 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 Villahermosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Villahermosa vs other spots: cost of living compared