😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,596 in Costa da Caparica versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Costa da Caparica versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,165 in Costa da Caparica versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Costa da Caparica is roughly 30% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Costa da Caparica is 17% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47€10.00
$4.41฿147
160.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.17€40.25
$32.26฿1,077
43.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.06€7.90
$8.93฿298
1.46%
Cappuccino
$2.16€1.88
$2.90฿96.6
-25.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.61
$0.88฿29.38
110.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37€1.19
$0.48฿16.06
185.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.30€2.00
$2.35฿78.5
-2.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51€3.06
$3.72฿124
-5.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06€0.93
$1.87฿62.3
-43.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60€1.40
$1.47฿48.94
8.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.66€1.45
$1.55฿51.8
7.10%
Eggs
$3.13€2.73
$2.10฿70.1
49.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.21€9.77
$19.59฿654
-42.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.77€6.77
$3.42฿114
127.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.92€12.13
$11.38฿380
22.32%
Apples(1kg)
$2.28€1.98
$2.98฿99.6
-23.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49€1.30
$1.68฿56.2
-11.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.78€1.55
$2.21฿73.7
-19.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.50€2.18
$2.16฿72.1
15.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.45€1.27
$1.52฿50.9
-4.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91€1.66
$1.34฿44.67
42.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.54€1.35
$1.13฿37.67
36.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.74
$0.55฿18.24
54.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.10€5.31
$4.26฿142
43.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.34€4.66
$19.09฿637
-72.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30€1.13
$1.78฿59.4
-26.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37€2.06
$2.78฿92.9
-14.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25€1.96
$2.23฿74.4
0.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.23€36.81
$22.74฿759
85.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.14€3.61
$3.03฿101
36.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.86€0.75
$1.02฿34.15
-15.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.19€14.98
$3.89฿130
341.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97€1.72
$1.49฿49.77
32.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K€30.5K
$26.6K฿887.3K
31.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K€34.8K
$27.0K฿902.2K
47.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$133€116
$102฿3,420
30.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.99€18.30
$11.33฿378
85.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.54€36.21
$17.40฿581
138.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.08€38.42
$52.1฿1,738
-15.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.19€13.24
$11.07฿370
37.22%
Cinema Ticket
$8.59€7.49
$7.69฿257
11.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$459€400
$561฿18.7K
-18.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,399€7,321
$11.5K฿384.1K
-27.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.6€63.2
$63.0฿2,104
15.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.16€34.13
$29.52฿986
32.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.8€81.7
$98.0฿3,272
-4.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7€80.8
$88.5฿2,954
4.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$917€799
$738฿24.6K
24.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719€627
$482฿16.1K
49.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,451€1,265
$2,107฿70.3K
-31.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148€1,000
$1,226฿40.9K
-6.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,983€2,601
$3,617฿120.7K
-17.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,288€1,995
$2,603฿86.9K
-12.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.01
5.57
-10.05%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa da Caparica: September 15, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Costa da Caparica and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Costa da Caparica vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $274, with Costa da Caparica cheaper for home cooking.
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
Costa da Caparica vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Costa da Caparica and in Phuket?
Costa da Caparica and Phuket differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,596 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Costa da Caparica compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,394 in Costa da Caparica and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Costa da Caparica and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $917 in Costa da Caparica versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $46.00 in Costa da Caparica. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Costa da Caparica or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,596 per month in Costa da Caparica versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,596 in Costa da Caparica, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Costa da Caparica. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Costa da Caparica and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Costa da Caparica or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Costa da Caparica 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: Costa da Caparica or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Costa da Caparica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Costa da Caparica vs other spots: cost of living compared