Cost of Living Comparison Between Cariacica and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cariacica and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $684 per month in Cariacica vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,025 per month in Cariacica vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,366 per month in Cariacica vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Cariacica is about 46% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cariacica and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cariacica 49% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 R$16.60

$4.70 ฿154

-31.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 R$64.0

$45.37 ฿1,489

-72.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 R$22.70

$8.43 ฿277

-47.69%

Cappuccino

$0.94 R$4.83

$2.93 ฿96.1

-67.92%

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

$0.86 R$4.44

$0.69 ฿22.50

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.90

$0.37 ฿12.04

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 R$5.72

$2.41 ฿79.0

-53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R$9.40

$3.72 ฿122

-50.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 R$4.09

$2.23 ฿73.3

-64.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.74

$1.83 ฿60.1

-18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 R$4.57

$2.17 ฿71.1

-58.99%

Eggs

$1.40 R$7.21

$2.21 ฿72.6

-36.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 R$36.04

$19.74 ฿648

-64.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 R$16.80

$3.63 ฿119

-10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 R$32.40

$13.53 ฿444

-53.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.58

$3.28 ฿108

-55.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.55

$1.61 ฿52.9

-45.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 R$3.14

$2.41 ฿79.0

-74.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.94

$2.08 ฿68.4

-44.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.11

$1.53 ฿50.2

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.33

$1.48 ฿48.58

-4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 R$1.91

$0.99 ฿32.44

-62.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.89

$0.51 ฿16.74

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 R$8.48

$4.41 ฿145

-62.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.34

$19.38 ฿636

-53.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.89

$1.78 ฿58.4

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 R$6.57

$2.71 ฿89.0

-52.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.37 ฿44.99

-24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.81 R$200

$11.39 ฿374

240.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 R$4.11

$3.02 ฿99.1

-73.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.59

$0.99 ฿32.63

-29.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 R$14.89

$14.10 ฿463

-79.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.03

$1.36 ฿44.71

-27.94%

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

$14.6K R$75.3K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-48.16%

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

$27.5K R$141.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-16.44%

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

$90.6 R$467

$122 ฿3,993

-25.54%

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

$14.23 R$73.3

$13.57 ฿445

4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 R$88.2

$18.31 ฿601

-6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.18 R$88.5

$60.2 ฿1,976

-71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.38 R$110

$17.14 ฿562

24.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 R$38.39

$8.69 ฿285

-14.27%

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

$417 R$2,149

$693 ฿22.8K

-39.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,598 R$34.0K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-57.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.18 R$192

$59.5 ฿1,953

-37.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.86 R$128

$34.77 ฿1,141

-28.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.27 R$140

$115 ฿3,760

-76.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.04 R$129

$83.3 ฿2,733

-69.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,636

$613 ฿20.1K

-48.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,124

$437 ฿14.3K

-50.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,988

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-72.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,220

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-71.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,585 R$8,167

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-57.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 R$5,544

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 R$2,022

$508 ฿16.7K

-22.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

5.33

94.75%

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

Last update for Cariacica: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Cariacica 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 29% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Cariacica versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $293 – making Cariacica 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

Cariacica vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,026 per month in Cariacica and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cariacica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Cariacica and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $684 in Cariacica and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cariacica, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Cariacica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cariacica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Cariacica. 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.