🙂A single person spends $755 per month in Barretos vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,219 per month in Barretos vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Barretos vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Barretos is about 40% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Barretos and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Barretos44% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.43R$32.19
$4.70฿153
36.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.51R$108
$45.37฿1,482
-52.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.47R$27.36
$8.43฿275
-35.11%
Cappuccino
$1.42R$7.09
$2.93฿95.6
-51.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27R$6.34
$0.69฿22.40
84.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53R$2.64
$0.37฿11.99
43.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78R$8.90
$2.41฿78.6
-26.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73R$13.65
$3.72฿122
-26.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.98R$4.89
$2.23฿72.9
-56.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83R$9.15
$1.83฿59.8
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.15R$5.75
$2.17฿70.8
-47.00%
Eggs
$2.31R$11.57
$2.21฿72.3
4.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03R$50.2
$19.74฿645
-49.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.04R$20.21
$3.63฿119
11.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.51R$42.57
$13.53฿442
-37.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17R$10.88
$3.28฿107
-33.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59R$7.97
$1.61฿52.6
-1.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44R$7.19
$2.41฿78.6
-40.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.67R$8.35
$2.08฿68.1
-19.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.48R$7.40
$1.53฿49.93
-3.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.40R$6.99
$1.48฿48.36
-5.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00R$5.01
$0.99฿32.29
1.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63R$3.17
$0.51฿16.67
23.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.79R$8.95
$4.41฿144
-59.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.06R$40.32
$19.38฿633
-58.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32R$6.58
$1.78฿58.1
-25.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98R$9.93
$2.71฿88.6
-26.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86R$4.33
$1.37฿44.79
-37.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.31R$192
$11.39฿372
236.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.11R$5.57
$3.02฿98.6
-63.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58R$2.88
$0.99฿32.48
-41.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.55R$37.76
$14.10฿461
-46.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89R$4.47
$1.36฿44.51
-34.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9KR$114.6K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-18.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7KR$143.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-12.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$26.69R$134
$122฿3,975
-78.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.26R$26.35
$13.57฿443
-61.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.27R$71.4
$18.31฿598
-22.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.25R$111
$60.2฿1,967
-63.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.92R$110
$17.14฿560
27.89%
Cinema Ticket
$7.40R$37.02
$8.69฿284
-14.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$327R$1,636
$693฿22.6K
-52.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,626R$43.2K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-45.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5R$278
$59.5฿1,944
-6.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.60R$108
$34.77฿1,136
-37.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.5R$373
$115฿3,743
-34.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.9R$320
$83.3฿2,720
-23.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$317R$1,587
$613฿20.0K
-48.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$216R$1,080
$437฿14.3K
-50.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$574R$2,870
$2,094฿68.4K
-72.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$427R$2,136
$1,509฿49.3K
-71.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,411R$7,063
$3,749฿122.5K
-62.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,011R$5,062
$2,616฿85.4K
-61.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barretos
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$553R$2,766
$508฿16.6K
8.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.17
5.33
109.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barretos: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Barretos versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 9% higher in Barretos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Barretos versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $293 – making Barretos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Barretos vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Barretos and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $755 in Barretos, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 67% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Barretos compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,133 per month in Barretos and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Barretos and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barretos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Barretos and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Barretos or Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $755 in Barretos and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $755, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Barretos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Barretos and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $755 in Barretos to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Barretos or Phuket safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Barretos and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Barretos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.