Cost of Living Comparison Between Nova Iguacu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nova Iguacu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $695 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Nova Iguacu versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,504 in Nova Iguacu versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Nova Iguacu costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nova Iguacu 48% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 R$14.63

$4.63 ฿151

-36.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 R$115

$46.84 ฿1,532

-50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 R$36.18

$8.84 ฿289

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.37

$3.00 ฿98.0

-37.33%

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

$1.01 R$5.02

$0.74 ฿24.25

36.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.63

$0.37 ฿11.95

43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 R$7.91

$2.44 ฿79.8

-35.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 R$6.62

$3.61 ฿118

-63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.48

$2.26 ฿73.9

-51.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R$6.39

$1.84 ฿60.1

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.54

$2.24 ฿73.4

-50.45%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.58

$2.32 ฿75.7

-17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R$38.44

$19.67 ฿643

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 R$12.59

$3.65 ฿119

-30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R$33.33

$13.10 ฿428

-49.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.34

$3.39 ฿111

-62.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.41

$1.64 ฿53.7

-21.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.28

$2.41 ฿79.0

-64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.90

$2.03 ฿66.4

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.66

$1.56 ฿50.9

-40.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.68

$1.50 ฿48.94

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 R$1.85

$1.02 ฿33.50

-63.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 R$1.88

$0.49 ฿16.00

-22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.70 R$8.48

$4.45 ฿145

-61.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 R$30.73

$18.88 ฿617

-67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.66

$1.78 ฿58.1

-47.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.36

$2.75 ฿90.1

-53.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.46

$1.40 ฿45.81

-7.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.37 R$226

$11.48 ฿376

295.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 R$4.32

$3.12 ฿102

-72.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.00 ฿32.67

7.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 R$43.97

$14.09 ฿461

-37.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.07

$1.35 ฿44.19

-24.44%

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

$22.6K R$112.9K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-16.77%

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

$29.0K R$144.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-12.04%

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

$46.06 R$230

$125 ฿4,087

-63.15%

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

$10.93 R$54.5

$13.57 ฿444

-19.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.66 R$93.1

$18.52 ฿606

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 R$109

$61.5 ฿2,010

-64.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.85 R$109

$16.84 ฿551

29.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.35 R$26.71

$9.19 ฿300

-41.78%

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

$67.9 R$339

$698 ฿22.8K

-90.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,709 R$8,527

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-89.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 R$266

$57.8 ฿1,889

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 R$170

$35.24 ฿1,152

-3.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 R$287

$113 ฿3,699

-49.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 R$265

$86.4 ฿2,825

-38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 R$1,508

$616 ฿20.1K

-50.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 R$1,144

$446 ฿14.6K

-48.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R$2,927

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,041

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-72.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 R$8,278

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-56.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,214 R$6,057

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-54.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 R$1,215

$524 ฿17.1K

-53.52%

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 Nova Iguacu: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Nova Iguacu and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 115% 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: $23.00 in Nova Iguacu vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $292 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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

Nova Iguacu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Iguacu and Phuket differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($695 vs $1,232 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 115% 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: $302 in Nova Iguacu versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $695 per month in Nova Iguacu versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 295% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $695 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.