Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,704 in Castelo Branco versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,273 in Castelo Branco versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Castelo Branco costs roughly 10% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 15% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.44 €9.84

$4.70 ฿153

143.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.18 €35.43

$45.37 ฿1,482

-9.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.22

$8.43 ฿275

13.40%

Cappuccino

$1.38 €1.18

$2.93 ฿95.6

-52.90%

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

$1.70 €1.46

$0.69 ฿22.40

146.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.37 ฿11.99

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.41 ฿78.6

-40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.72 ฿122

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.91

$2.23 ฿72.9

-52.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.83 ฿59.8

-34.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.17 ฿70.8

-23.50%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$2.21 ฿72.3

32.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 €7.76

$19.74 ฿645

-54.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 €4.39

$3.63 ฿119

40.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 €7.10

$13.53 ฿442

-39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$3.28 ฿107

-44.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.61 ฿52.6

-19.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.41 ฿78.6

-48.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.08 ฿68.1

20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.53 ฿49.93

-30.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.48 ฿48.36

17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.99 ฿32.29

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.51 ฿16.67

39.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.53

$4.41 ฿144

45.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$19.38 ฿633

-82.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.78 ฿58.1

-55.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.71 ฿88.6

-60.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.37 ฿44.79

-13.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.85 €36.86

$11.39 ฿372

276.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$3.02 ฿98.6

-24.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.99 ฿32.48

-28.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.29 €14.87

$14.10 ฿461

22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.36 ฿44.51

39.71%

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

$34.2K €29.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

21.29%

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

$39.5K €34.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

20.02%

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

$98.0 €84.3

$122 ฿3,975

-19.49%

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

$22.17 €19.07

$13.57 ฿443

63.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 €37.33

$18.31 ฿598

136.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 €36.45

$60.2 ฿1,967

-29.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 €6.16

$8.69 ฿284

-17.61%

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

$647 €557

$693 ฿22.6K

-6.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €14.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

3.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 €50.3

$59.5 ฿1,944

-1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 €58.0

$34.77 ฿1,136

93.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 €63.2

$115 ฿3,743

-35.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 €50.6

$83.3 ฿2,720

-29.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 €447

$613 ฿20.0K

-15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 €328

$437 ฿14.3K

-12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 €598

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-66.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €548

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-57.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,661 €1,429

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-55.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 €1,211

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-46.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,658 €1,426

$508 ฿16.6K

226.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

5.33

1.88%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Castelo Branco and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 226% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Castelo Branco vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $293 per month, with Castelo Branco 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

Castelo Branco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castelo Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Castelo Branco pays 226% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $520 in Castelo Branco versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,136 per month in Castelo Branco versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 276% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Castelo Branco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Castelo Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Castelo Branco 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, Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.