Cost of Living Comparison Between Itapema and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Itapema and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $776 in Itapema versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Itapema versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,686 in Itapema versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Itapema costs roughly 39% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Itapema 42% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 R$27.53

$4.66 ฿150

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.90 R$139

$46.44 ฿1,496

-39.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 R$30.44

$8.68 ฿280

-29.49%

Cappuccino

$1.74 R$8.66

$2.95 ฿95.0

-41.02%

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

$1.13 R$5.60

$0.70 ฿22.52

61.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.25

$0.39 ฿12.70

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.07

$2.53 ฿81.6

-28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$13.77

$3.78 ฿122

-26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.76

$2.22 ฿71.5

-56.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 R$7.21

$1.80 ฿57.8

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.62

$2.19 ฿70.4

-48.40%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.02

$2.31 ฿74.5

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 R$40.27

$19.34 ฿623

-58.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 R$17.61

$3.77 ฿121

-6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 R$35.75

$13.22 ฿426

-45.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 R$10.55

$3.33 ฿107

-36.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.65 ฿53.1

-21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.70

$2.29 ฿73.7

-49.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.14

$1.99 ฿64.1

-27.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$1.53 ฿49.24

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.47

$1.51 ฿48.77

-27.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.55

$1.03 ฿33.12

-31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.28

$0.51 ฿16.57

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 R$10.67

$4.41 ฿142

-51.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 R$36.55

$19.41 ฿625

-62.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.93

$1.80 ฿58.0

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.23

$2.68 ฿86.4

-23.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.28

$1.43 ฿46.11

-39.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.99 R$194

$11.70 ฿377

233.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.31

$3.04 ฿97.9

-64.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.53

$1.04 ฿33.37

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 R$32.76

$13.68 ฿441

-51.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.18

$1.30 ฿41.85

-20.00%

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

$20.5K R$101.9K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-26.52%

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

$27.1K R$134.7K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-17.97%

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

$61.0 R$303

$123 ฿3,962

-50.39%

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

$13.75 R$68.3

$13.82 ฿445

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 R$94.4

$18.86 ฿608

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.75 R$113

$61.2 ฿1,970

-62.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.40 R$106

$16.81 ฿541

27.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.12

$8.87 ฿286

-29.43%

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

$280 R$1,389

$696 ฿22.4K

-59.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,490 R$32.3K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-59.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.15 R$234

$59.3 ฿1,910

-20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.86 R$208

$34.85 ฿1,123

20.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$382

$113 ฿3,646

-32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.5 R$311

$85.1 ฿2,740

-26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 R$1,565

$615 ฿19.8K

-48.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 R$1,056

$448 ฿14.4K

-52.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R$2,917

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 R$2,119

$1,496 ฿48.2K

-71.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 R$7,121

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-61.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 R$5,130

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-61.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

5.33

104.88%

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

Last update for Itapema: April 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $315 in Itapema and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28 in Itapema vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $291 per month, with Itapema 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

Itapema vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itapema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,164 in Itapema and $1,904 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $315 in Itapema versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $776 per month in Itapema versus $1,270 in Phuket – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 233% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $776 in Itapema versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Itapema 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, Itapema 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 Itapema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.