😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,581 in Costa da Caparica versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Costa da Caparica versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,091 in Costa da Caparica versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Costa da Caparica is roughly 25% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Costa da Caparica is 18% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60€9.99
$4.70฿153
146.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.39€39.94
$45.37฿1,482
2.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42€8.11
$8.43฿275
11.74%
Cappuccino
$2.16€1.86
$2.93฿95.6
-26.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84€1.59
$0.69฿22.40
166.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43€1.23
$0.37฿11.99
286.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34€2.02
$2.41฿78.6
-2.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42€2.94
$3.72฿122
-8.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11€0.95
$2.23฿72.9
-50.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.58€1.36
$1.83฿59.8
-13.66%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67€1.43
$2.17฿70.8
-23.04%
Eggs
$3.11€2.68
$2.21฿72.3
40.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.30€9.73
$19.74฿645
-42.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.66€6.59
$3.63฿119
111.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.87€11.94
$13.53฿442
2.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.41€2.07
$3.28฿107
-26.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47€1.27
$1.61฿52.6
-8.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87€1.61
$2.41฿78.6
-22.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.49€2.14
$2.08฿68.1
19.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.50€1.29
$1.53฿49.93
-1.96%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$1.48฿48.36
29.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.35
$0.99฿32.29
58.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81€0.70
$0.51฿16.67
58.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.94€5.11
$4.41฿144
34.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.11€4.40
$19.38฿633
-73.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29€1.11
$1.78฿58.1
-27.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28€1.96
$2.71฿88.6
-15.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.26€1.95
$1.37฿44.79
64.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.59€36.66
$11.39฿372
273.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.08€3.52
$3.02฿98.6
35.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81€0.70
$0.99฿32.48
-18.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.11€14.73
$14.10฿461
21.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.91€1.65
$1.36฿44.51
40.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K€29.7K
$28.2K฿921.1K
22.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K€34.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
21.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$137€118
$122฿3,975
12.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.19€18.24
$13.57฿443
56.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.59€36.67
$18.31฿598
132.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.65€38.44
$60.2฿1,967
-25.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.62€7.42
$8.69฿284
-0.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$463€399
$693฿22.6K
-33.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,459€7,282
$15.7K฿512.3K
-46.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.1€63.8
$59.5฿1,944
24.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.28€33.81
$34.77฿1,136
12.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.7€78.1
$115฿3,743
-20.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.0€79.2
$83.3฿2,720
10.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$941€810
$613฿20.0K
53.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$729€628
$437฿14.3K
66.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,448€1,246
$2,094฿68.4K
-30.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,136€978
$1,509฿49.3K
-24.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,062€2,636
$3,749฿122.5K
-18.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,296€1,977
$2,616฿85.4K
-12.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa da Caparica
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.01
5.33
-6.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa da Caparica: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $941 in Costa da Caparica and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Costa da Caparica vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $293, 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 Phuket?
Costa da Caparica and Phuket differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,581 vs $1,265 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 $2,371 in Costa da Caparica and $1,898 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 Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $941 in Costa da Caparica versus $613 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 $45.00 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 $1,581 per month in Costa da Caparica versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 25% 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 $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,581 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 25% 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