Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $775 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,686 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Paulo Afonso is about 39% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Paulo Afonso and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Paulo Afonso 42% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 R$28.02

$4.48 ฿150

23.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.75 R$136

$45.59 ฿1,521

-41.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 R$32.81

$8.76 ฿292

-26.14%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$9.04

$2.97 ฿99.0

-40.07%

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

$1.13 R$5.73

$0.69 ฿22.90

63.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.18

$0.39 ฿13.04

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 R$9.07

$2.53 ฿84.4

-29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.59

$3.75 ฿125

-28.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.07

$2.15 ฿71.6

-53.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.67

$1.82 ฿60.6

-17.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.03

$2.18 ฿72.9

-45.41%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.92

$2.25 ฿75.0

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 R$41.78

$20.00 ฿667

-58.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 R$18.04

$3.63 ฿121

-1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.61

$13.56 ฿452

-46.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$10.94

$3.24 ฿108

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.43

$1.64 ฿54.6

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.01

$2.33 ฿77.8

-48.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.73

$2.07 ฿69.1

-26.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.83

$1.55 ฿51.6

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.46 ฿48.54

-23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.83

$0.98 ฿32.86

-22.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.09

$0.48 ฿16.09

27.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$4.35 ฿145

-50.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.73

$18.57 ฿620

-56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.46

$1.86 ฿61.9

-31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.43

$2.65 ฿88.6

-22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.37

$1.42 ฿47.28

-39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.72 R$197

$11.57 ฿386

234.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.59

$3.17 ฿106

-65.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.59

$1.03 ฿34.41

-31.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 R$31.52

$13.89 ฿463

-55.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.23

$1.34 ฿44.84

-23.13%

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

$20.3K R$103.2K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-26.82%

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

$27.6K R$139.9K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-17.39%

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

$59.7 R$303

$123 ฿4,105

-51.48%

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

$13.71 R$69.6

$13.77 ฿459

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.64 R$94.6

$18.33 ฿611

1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.65 R$115

$60.7 ฿2,025

-62.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 R$111

$17.16 ฿573

26.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 R$32.43

$8.87 ฿296

-27.96%

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

$274 R$1,391

$688 ฿22.9K

-60.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,461 R$32.8K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-59.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.83 R$253

$59.3 ฿1,978

-15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 R$214

$34.69 ฿1,157

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 R$383

$115 ฿3,843

-34.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.3 R$331

$83.8 ฿2,794

-22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,616

$621 ฿20.7K

-48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 R$1,099

$446 ฿14.9K

-51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 R$2,959

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,220

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-70.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 R$9,020

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-48.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,272 R$6,453

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-49.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$239 R$1,210

$494 ฿16.5K

-51.68%

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 Paulo Afonso: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Paulo Afonso versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 107% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Paulo Afonso versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $291 – making Paulo Afonso the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Paulo Afonso vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 63% more than Paulo Afonso, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,162 per month in Paulo Afonso and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paulo Afonso, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $775 in Paulo Afonso and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 235% less in Paulo Afonso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paulo Afonso, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Paulo Afonso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paulo Afonso costs $775 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Paulo Afonso. 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.