Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Belem versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Belem versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Belem versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Belem costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 41% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.66

$4.55 ฿153

-2.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.89 R$148

$46.18 ฿1,554

-37.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$32.02

$8.84 ฿298

-29.19%

Cappuccino

$1.60 R$8.16

$3.06 ฿103

-47.71%

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

$0.93 R$4.73

$0.73 ฿24.42

27.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.38

$0.40 ฿13.40

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.16

$2.43 ฿81.8

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 R$17.93

$3.78 ฿127

-7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.90

$2.26 ฿76.0

-49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 R$10.79

$1.81 ฿60.9

16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$2.25 ฿75.8

-44.44%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.11

$2.25 ฿75.6

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 R$52.7

$19.51 ฿656

-47.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 R$20.18

$3.65 ฿123

8.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.28

$13.05 ฿439

-48.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.74

$3.23 ฿109

-47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.83

$1.62 ฿54.4

6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$2.38 ฿80.2

-45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$2.03 ฿68.2

-28.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.72

$1.53 ฿51.6

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 R$2.81

$1.50 ฿50.5

-63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.27

$0.98 ฿32.93

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.88

$0.52 ฿17.40

159.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.74

$4.44 ฿149

-43.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 R$50.5

$18.32 ฿616

-46.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.86 ฿62.7

-29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 R$23.32

$2.68 ฿90.2

70.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 R$3.80

$1.41 ฿47.49

-47.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.48 R$110

$11.70 ฿394

83.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$3.11 ฿105

-64.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.79

$1.04 ฿35.08

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 R$45.17

$14.11 ฿475

-37.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.30

$1.31 ฿44.13

-20.61%

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

$16.1K R$82.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-42.10%

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

$29.0K R$148.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-12.82%

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

$111 R$568

$122 ฿4,120

-9.24%

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

$14.53 R$74.3

$13.59 ฿457

6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.28 R$109

$18.70 ฿629

13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.25 R$109

$60.5 ฿2,035

-64.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 R$110

$16.98 ฿572

26.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 R$31.76

$9.07 ฿305

-31.53%

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

$101 R$514

$706 ฿23.8K

-85.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 R$15.7K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-80.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 R$169

$58.6 ฿1,970

-43.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 R$148

$35.36 ฿1,190

-18.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$387

$115 ฿3,885

-34.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.88 R$214

$83.7 ฿2,818

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,225

$626 ฿21.1K

-30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$445 ฿15.0K

-57.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 R$4,091

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-60.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 R$2,382

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-68.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,951 R$9,972

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 R$6,995

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-46.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 R$2,090

$500 ฿16.8K

-18.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

5.33

128.89%

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

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Belem and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 22% 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: $29.00 in Belem vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $289 per month, with Belem 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

Belem vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $435 in Belem versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 84% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Belem versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem 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, Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.