Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aracatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aracatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $776 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $1,252 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,729 in Aracatuba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 64% more than Aracatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$5.52 R$27.43

-15.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$26.49 R$132

75.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$6.24 R$31.03

39.10%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$1.79 R$8.90

64.80%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.13 R$5.63

-38.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.63 R$3.11

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$1.84 R$9.17

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.69 R$13.35

40.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$0.99 R$4.91

124.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.51 R$7.51

19.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.17 R$5.82

87.18%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$1.97 R$9.78

17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$8.00 R$39.78

141.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.71 R$18.45

1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$7.45 R$37.03

77.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$2.13 R$10.60

56.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.25 R$6.20

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.20 R$5.96

90.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.46 R$7.27

36.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.14 R$5.68

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.11 R$5.49

36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.71 R$3.52

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.67 R$3.32

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$2.18 R$10.85

102.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$8.81 R$43.81

120.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.21 R$6.04

48.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.01 R$9.98

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.94 R$4.66

52.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$37.94 R$189

-69.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.05 R$5.21

189.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.71 R$3.53

46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$6.31 R$31.37

116.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.09 R$5.41

19.27%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$21.0K R$104.2K

33.12%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$28.0K R$139.0K

18.10%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$61.3 R$304

100.77%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$13.73 R$68.2

0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$19.18 R$95.4

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$22.14 R$110

176.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$21.58 R$107

-22.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$6.17 R$30.65

43.76%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$274 R$1,363

153.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$6,604 R$32.8K

143.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$49.55 R$246

19.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$41.48 R$206

-15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$74.8 R$372

51.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$64.1 R$319

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$309 R$1,538

98.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$219 R$1,090

104.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$573 R$2,848

263.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$430 R$2,139

247.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$1,645 R$8,175

127.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$1,214 R$6,032

119.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$377 R$1,875

41.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Aracatuba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $309 in Aracatuba. 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 41% 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 $46 in Phuket versus $26 in Aracatuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $177 – making Aracatuba 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

Phuket vs Aracatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $776 in Aracatuba – roughly 64% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,163 in Aracatuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $274 in Aracatuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aracatuba, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Aracatuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $776 in Aracatuba to $1,270 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Aracatuba. 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.