ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Araraquara versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,030 in Araraquara versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,440 in Araraquara versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Araraquara costs roughly 50% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Araraquara54% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.06R$25.20
$4.63āļŋ151
9.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.33R$106
$46.84āļŋ1,523
-54.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.15R$30.64
$8.84āļŋ287
-30.43%
Cappuccino
$1.86R$9.27
$3.00āļŋ97.4
-38.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99R$4.93
$0.74āļŋ24.11
33.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75R$3.75
$0.37āļŋ11.88
102.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.76R$8.76
$2.44āļŋ79.3
-27.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41R$16.97
$3.61āļŋ117
-5.54%
ð Groceries & Markets
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86R$4.26
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-61.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.14R$5.66
$1.84āļŋ59.8
-38.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.26R$6.29
$2.24āļŋ73.0
-43.75%
Eggs
$2.18R$10.85
$2.32āļŋ75.3
-6.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.10R$30.40
$19.67āļŋ639
-68.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.99R$14.89
$3.65āļŋ119
-18.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.51R$27.44
$13.10āļŋ426
-57.94%
Apples(1kg)
$1.24R$6.16
$3.39āļŋ110
-63.42%
Banana(1kg)
$0.80R$3.97
$1.64āļŋ53.4
-51.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.87R$4.31
$2.41āļŋ78.5
-63.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.13R$5.64
$2.03āļŋ66.0
-44.33%
Potato(1kg)
$0.80R$4.00
$1.56āļŋ50.6
-48.72%
Onion(1kg)
$0.70R$3.51
$1.50āļŋ48.66
-53.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.55R$2.76
$1.02āļŋ33.30
-46.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62R$3.09
$0.49āļŋ15.91
26.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.76R$8.75
$4.45āļŋ145
-60.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.28R$26.28
$18.88āļŋ614
-72.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.89R$4.42
$1.78āļŋ57.7
-50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40R$6.98
$2.75āļŋ89.5
-49.09%
ð Getting Around
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94R$4.69
$1.40āļŋ45.54
-32.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.22R$195
$11.48āļŋ373
241.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.88R$4.38
$3.12āļŋ101
-71.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.90R$4.49
$1.00āļŋ32.48
-10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.57R$42.69
$14.09āļŋ458
-39.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.05R$5.24
$1.35āļŋ43.93
-22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6KR$102.7K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
-24.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6KR$107.8K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-34.25%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.20R$235
$125āļŋ4,063
-62.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.20R$45.83
$13.57āļŋ441
-32.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.50R$82.2
$18.52āļŋ602
-10.91%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.60R$118
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-61.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.92R$109
$16.84āļŋ547
30.17%
Cinema Ticket
$3.50R$17.43
$9.19āļŋ299
-61.92%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316R$1,573
$698āļŋ22.7K
-54.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,862R$34.2K
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-55.99%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.51R$212
$57.8āļŋ1,878
-26.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.46R$192
$35.24āļŋ1,146
9.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.9R$418
$113āļŋ3,677
-25.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.3R$250
$86.4āļŋ2,808
-41.79%
ð Accommodation & Living
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$201R$1,000
$616āļŋ20.0K
-67.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$133R$663
$446āļŋ14.5K
-70.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$450R$2,242
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-78.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$319R$1,589
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-78.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,414R$7,042
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
-62.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Araraquara
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$470R$2,339
$524āļŋ17.0K
-10.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.92
5.33
104.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Araraquara: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Araraquara and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Phuket pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $21.00 in Araraquara vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $292 per month, with Araraquara 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
Araraquara vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Araraquara and Phuket?
Araraquara and Phuket differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($620 vs $1,232 including rent). Araraquara is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Phuket earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Araraquara and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Araraquara versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Araraquara â a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $620 in Araraquara versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Araraquara but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Araraquara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Araraquara and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Araraquara or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Araraquara 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.
Where should expats move: Araraquara or Phuket?
Expats usually find Araraquara gentler on the wallet â expenses run 99% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Araraquara vs other spots: cost of living compared