Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $755 in Zamboanga versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,095 in Zamboanga versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,435 in Zamboanga versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Zamboanga costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zamboanga 43% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 ₱93.4

$4.48 ฿150

-66.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.65 ₱593

$45.59 ฿1,525

-78.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱167

$8.76 ฿293

-68.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₱111

$2.97 ฿99.3

-39.06%

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

$0.94 ₱58.0

$0.69 ฿22.96

36.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.42

$0.39 ฿13.07

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱75.4

$2.53 ฿84.7

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱105

$3.75 ฿125

-54.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱124

$2.15 ฿71.8

-6.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ₱100

$1.82 ฿60.7

-10.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ₱78.8

$2.18 ฿73.1

-41.28%

Eggs

$1.70 ₱104

$2.25 ฿75.2

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 ₱685

$20.00 ฿669

-44.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱278

$3.63 ฿121

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.70 ₱227

$13.56 ฿453

-72.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ₱211

$3.24 ฿109

6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.64 ฿54.7

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₱259

$2.33 ฿78.0

81.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.07 ฿69.3

30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 ₱82.7

$1.55 ฿51.8

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 ₱169

$1.46 ฿48.67

88.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₱55.8

$0.98 ฿32.94

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.66

$0.48 ฿16.13

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱192

$4.35 ฿146

-28.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.18 ₱257

$18.57 ฿621

-77.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱85.8

$1.86 ฿62.1

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.65 ฿88.8

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$1.42 ฿47.40

-84.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.6

$3.17 ฿106

-72.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.47

$1.03 ฿34.51

-78.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$13.89 ฿465

-84.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱77.9

$1.34 ฿44.96

-5.22%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-3.02%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-39.18%

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

$162 ₱9,976

$123 ฿4,116

32.04%

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

$48.37 ₱2,970

$13.77 ฿461

251.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 ₱3,273

$18.33 ฿613

190.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 ₱2,435

$60.7 ฿2,030

-34.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱277

$17.16 ฿574

-73.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 ₱429

$8.87 ฿297

-21.31%

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

$53.1 ₱3,257

$688 ฿23.0K

-92.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,258 ₱77.2K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-92.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.38 ₱1,497

$59.3 ฿1,984

-58.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.48 ₱1,626

$34.69 ฿1,160

-23.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₱5,356

$115 ฿3,853

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 ₱3,842

$83.8 ฿2,802

-25.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₱8,590

$621 ฿20.8K

-77.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.5 ₱4,267

$446 ฿14.9K

-84.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₱22.8K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-81.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,665

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-90.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,694 ₱165.4K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-22.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 ₱63.3K

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-59.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 ₱12.1K

$494 ฿16.5K

-60.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

125.14%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $140 in Zamboanga and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 151% 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: $10.00 in Zamboanga vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $291 per month, with Zamboanga 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

Zamboanga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zamboanga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 151% lower in Phuket. 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: $140 in Zamboanga versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $53.1 in Zamboanga versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zamboanga – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $755 in Zamboanga versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zamboanga 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, Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.