Cost of Living Comparison Between Madeira and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Madeira and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,596 in Madeira versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,338 in Madeira versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,080 in Madeira versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Madeira is roughly 26% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madeira is 19% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 €9.79

$4.70 ฿153

141.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.81 €39.44

$45.37 ฿1,482

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 €7.95

$8.43 ฿275

9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.18 €1.87

$2.93 ฿95.6

-25.60%

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

$1.86 €1.60

$0.69 ฿22.40

169.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.37 ฿11.99

267.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.41 ฿78.6

-2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.72 ฿122

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.94

$2.23 ฿72.9

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.83 ฿59.8

-13.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.17 ฿70.8

-23.96%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.69

$2.21 ฿72.3

41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 €9.79

$19.74 ฿645

-42.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 €6.56

$3.63 ฿119

109.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 €12.27

$13.53 ฿442

5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.28 ฿107

-30.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.61 ฿52.6

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.41 ฿78.6

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.08 ฿68.1

24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.53 ฿49.93

-5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.48 ฿48.36

28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.99 ฿32.29

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.51 ฿16.67

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.41 ฿144

34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 €4.44

$19.38 ฿633

-73.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.78 ฿58.1

-28.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.71 ฿88.6

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.37 ฿44.79

64.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 €36.64

$11.39 ฿372

273.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 €3.52

$3.02 ฿98.6

35.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.99 ฿32.48

-14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.73

$14.10 ฿461

21.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.36 ฿44.51

45.59%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

22.83%

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

$39.4K €33.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

19.75%

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

$134 €115

$122 ฿3,975

9.75%

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

$21.61 €18.60

$13.57 ฿443

59.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 €36.13

$18.31 ฿598

129.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 €38.18

$60.2 ฿1,967

-26.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 €7.03

$8.69 ฿284

-5.98%

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

$467 €402

$693 ฿22.6K

-32.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,341 €7,181

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-46.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 €62.8

$59.5 ฿1,944

22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 €33.44

$34.77 ฿1,136

11.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.5

$115 ฿3,743

-18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 €79.0

$83.3 ฿2,720

10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 €800

$613 ฿20.0K

51.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 €622

$437 ฿14.3K

65.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 €1,251

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €986

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-24.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,071 €2,644

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-18.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,294 €1,975

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-12.29%

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 Madeira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Madeira and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Madeira vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $293, with Madeira 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

Madeira vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,394 in Madeira 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $930 in Madeira versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,596 per month in Madeira versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 274% less than in Madeira. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,596 in Madeira, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Madeira. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madeira, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madeira 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.