Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arapiraca Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arapiraca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $869 in Arapiraca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,376 in Arapiraca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,884 in Arapiraca, rent included.

Phuket costs about 42% more than Arapiraca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arapiraca are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Arapiraca 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.41 R$27.83

-18.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$37.68 R$194

-14.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$9.66 R$49.65

-7.56%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.00 R$10.28

45.00%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.02 R$5.26

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.64 R$3.28

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.59 R$8.18

47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.14 R$16.13

18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.40 R$7.21

33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.57 R$8.08

-6.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.55 R$7.96

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.79 R$9.22

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$7.05 R$36.23

177.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.50 R$23.12

-24.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.55 R$38.84

50.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.34 R$6.88

122.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.35 R$6.94

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$0.73 R$3.74

202.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.24 R$6.39

74.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.38 R$7.12

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.04 R$5.36

28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.51 R$2.62

121.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.89 R$4.58

-38.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.71 R$8.78

149.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.71 R$39.63

147.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.10 R$5.67

61.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.53 R$7.89

81.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$1.01 R$5.17

120.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$45.44 R$234

-49.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.19 R$6.12

154.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.71 R$3.66

43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.37 R$17.33

15.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.30 R$6.67

14.62%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$23.5K R$120.9K

13.08%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$32.0K R$164.7K

-15.60%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$112 R$576

-8.45%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.98 R$66.7

-12.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$17.34 R$89.2

0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$25.39 R$131

105.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$24.34 R$125

-54.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$6.94 R$35.70

10.81%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$267 R$1,374

109.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$11.7K R$60.0K

-1.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$43.53 R$224

44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$49.48 R$254

-40.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$72.9 R$375

34.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$81.1 R$417

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$328 R$1,685

125.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$240 R$1,236

100.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$582 R$2,993

261.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$417 R$2,144

194.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,742 R$8,959

107.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,273 R$6,548

104.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.75

-52.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Arapiraca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $328 in Arapiraca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Arapiraca. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $176 in Arapiraca – so Arapiraca 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

Phuket vs Arapiraca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $869 in Arapiraca – roughly 42% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,303 in Arapiraca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $267 in Arapiraca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 Arapiraca, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Arapiraca 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 $869 in Arapiraca to $1,232 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 Arapiraca. 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.