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: $781 in Itapema versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Itapema versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Itapema versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Itapema costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Itapema 43% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 R$26.91

$4.56 ฿150

15.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.48 R$146

$32.62 ฿1,072

-12.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 R$31.68

$8.90 ฿293

-30.56%

Cappuccino

$1.76 R$9.00

$2.80 ฿92.2

-37.14%

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

$1.09 R$5.58

$0.88 ฿28.93

23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.17

$0.49 ฿16.08

26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.02

$2.39 ฿78.5

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.18

$3.71 ฿122

-25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.80

$1.79 ฿58.7

-47.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.44 ฿47.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.58 ฿52.1

-27.85%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.35

$2.13 ฿69.9

-5.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 R$41.48

$19.92 ฿655

-59.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 R$17.96

$3.43 ฿113

2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 R$37.54

$11.33 ฿372

-35.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$11.01

$2.95 ฿96.9

-27.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.72 ฿56.6

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$2.32 ฿76.4

-50.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.67

$2.08 ฿68.4

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.10

$1.47 ฿48.33

-19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.64

$1.36 ฿44.64

-19.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 R$3.42

$1.10 ฿36.12

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.41

$0.57 ฿18.89

17.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.79

$4.27 ฿140

-50.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 R$37.78

$18.42 ฿605

-59.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 R$6.29

$1.87 ฿61.5

-34.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 R$10.74

$2.92 ฿96.0

-28.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.40

$2.22 ฿72.9

-61.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.18 R$201

$22.90 ฿753

71.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.66

$3.03 ฿99.6

-63.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.85

$1.07 ฿35.31

-29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 R$32.85

$3.93 ฿129

63.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.27

$1.49 ฿49.04

-30.87%

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

$20.7K R$106.2K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-23.63%

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

$27.8K R$142.3K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

1.16%

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

$60.3 R$309

$103 ฿3,379

-41.32%

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

$13.37 R$68.5

$10.99 ฿361

21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 R$94.9

$17.51 ฿576

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.89 R$117

$53.5 ฿1,760

-57.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 R$110

$11.20 ฿368

90.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 R$32.35

$7.48 ฿246

-15.64%

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

$285 R$1,459

$557 ฿18.3K

-48.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 R$33.5K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-44.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 R$245

$64.1 ฿2,106

-25.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 R$218

$29.07 ฿956

46.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 R$384

$96.0 ฿3,154

-21.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$329

$90.3 ฿2,970

-28.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,623

$730 ฿24.0K

-56.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 R$1,121

$500 ฿16.4K

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 R$2,932

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 R$2,170

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-64.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,462 R$7,490

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-59.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 R$5,293

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-58.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

5.57

96.05%

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

Last update for Itapema: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Itapema and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Itapema vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $273 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,172 in Itapema and $1,880 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: $317 in Itapema versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Itapema versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $781 in Itapema versus $1,253 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 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.