Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $416 per month in Mindelo vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $958 per month in Mindelo vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Mindelo vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Mindelo is about 67% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Mindelo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mindelo69% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72CVE 1,110
$4.70฿153
149.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.3CVE 5,516
$45.37฿1,482
28.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
-
$8.43฿275
-
Cappuccino
$1.13CVE 107
$2.93฿95.6
-61.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07CVE 102
$0.69฿22.40
55.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04CVE 98.4
$0.37฿11.99
181.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.52CVE 333
$2.41฿78.6
46.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83CVE 173
$3.72฿122
-50.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.53CVE 145
$2.23฿72.9
-31.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.13CVE 107
$1.83฿59.8
-38.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.80CVE 75.6
$2.17฿70.8
-63.13%
Eggs
$2.62CVE 248
$2.21฿72.3
18.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.25CVE 1,539
$19.74฿645
-17.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
-
$3.63฿119
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.56CVE 1,663
$13.53฿442
29.79%
Apples(1kg)
$2.19CVE 208
$3.28฿107
-33.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97CVE 187
$1.61฿52.6
22.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.90CVE 275
$2.41฿78.6
20.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.22CVE 305
$2.08฿68.1
54.81%
Potato(1kg)
$0.87CVE 82.7
$1.53฿49.93
-43.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.77CVE 167
$1.48฿48.36
19.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06CVE 100
$0.99฿32.29
7.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78CVE 73.5
$0.51฿16.67
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18CVE 490
$4.41฿144
17.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.40CVE 796
$19.38฿633
-56.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02CVE 191
$1.78฿58.1
13.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10CVE 199
$2.71฿88.6
-22.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.46CVE 43.09
$1.37฿44.79
-66.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.03CVE 2,938
$11.39฿372
172.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.58CVE 150
$3.02฿98.6
-47.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39CVE 132
$0.99฿32.48
40.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.53CVE 997
$14.10฿461
-25.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.70CVE 161
$1.36฿44.51
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.2K฿921.1K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$32.9K฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
-
$122฿3,975
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.57฿443
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$18.31฿598
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.2฿1,967
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.18CVE 301
$17.14฿560
-81.45%
Cinema Ticket
-
$8.69฿284
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$693฿22.6K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.7K฿512.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$59.5฿1,944
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$34.77฿1,136
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$115฿3,743
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$83.3฿2,720
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$613฿20.0K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$437฿14.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$368CVE 34.9K
$2,094฿68.4K
-82.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$266CVE 25.2K
$1,509฿49.3K
-82.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mindelo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.33
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Mindelo versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Mindelo vs $293 in Phuket – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Mindelo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mindelo?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 204%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $624 per month in Mindelo and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 172% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Mindelo and Phuket?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Mindelo or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $416, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mindelo or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mindelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Mindelo or Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mindelo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.