Cost of Living Comparison Between Manaus and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manaus and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $849 in Manaus versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Manaus versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Manaus versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Manaus costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manaus 37% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 R$26.65

$4.56 ฿149

15.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 R$126

$46.63 ฿1,519

-46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 R$30.96

$8.47 ฿276

-27.74%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R$10.74

$3.03 ฿98.6

-30.03%

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

$1.03 R$5.19

$0.69 ฿22.45

49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$3.93

$0.37 ฿11.92

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.52

$2.49 ฿81.0

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 R$24.39

$3.66 ฿119

31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.72

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 R$7.33

$1.90 ฿62.0

-23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.66

$2.20 ฿71.6

-49.09%

Eggs

$2.06 R$10.42

$2.22 ฿72.4

-7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.86

$19.99 ฿651

-52.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 R$18.55

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.37 R$32.26

$13.25 ฿432

-51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R$10.67

$3.23 ฿105

-34.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.03

$1.70 ฿55.3

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$2.39 ฿78.0

-48.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.12

$2.08 ฿67.7

-13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.67

$1.59 ฿51.8

-29.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.48 ฿48.31

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.54

$1.03 ฿33.54

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.52 ฿16.83

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 R$17.92

$4.25 ฿138

-16.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.89

$18.79 ฿612

-53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R$7.04

$1.76 ฿57.2

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 R$10.18

$2.76 ฿89.8

-27.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 R$4.21

$1.36 ฿44.32

-38.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.42 R$179

$11.36 ฿370

211.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 R$4.48

$3.14 ฿102

-71.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.35

$1.04 ฿33.74

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 R$44.20

$13.77 ฿448

-36.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.75

$1.34 ฿43.79

-14.93%

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

$19.9K R$100.6K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-28.20%

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

$22.3K R$112.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-34.16%

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

$110 R$556

$124 ฿4,025

-11.19%

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

$14.18 R$71.8

$13.52 ฿440

4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 R$116

$18.69 ฿609

22.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.61 R$114

$61.8 ฿2,013

-63.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.88 R$116

$17.25 ฿562

32.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 R$29.34

$9.14 ฿298

-36.54%

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

$203 R$1,026

$703 ฿22.9K

-71.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,776 R$24.2K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-69.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.79 R$232

$59.5 ฿1,937

-22.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.71 R$145

$35.07 ฿1,142

-18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 R$279

$115 ฿3,754

-52.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 R$318

$84.1 ฿2,737

-25.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 R$1,973

$619 ฿20.1K

-37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 R$1,236

$433 ฿14.1K

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R$3,392

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 R$2,563

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-66.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 R$8,690

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-52.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 R$6,398

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-51.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 R$2,532

$507 ฿16.5K

-1.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.83

5.33

84.43%

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

Last update for Manaus: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Manaus and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Manaus vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $293 per month, with Manaus 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

Manaus vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $390 in Manaus versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $849 in Manaus versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manaus 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, Manaus 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 Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.