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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $796 in Arapiraca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,260 in Arapiraca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,724 in Arapiraca, rent included.

Phuket costs about 57% more than Arapiraca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arapiraca are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Arapiraca 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.97 R$25.39

-8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$27.61 R$141

67.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$6.99 R$35.74

26.47%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.85 R$9.46

65.41%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.81 R$4.13

-9.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.49 R$2.51

-18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.48 R$7.55

64.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.90 R$14.82

30.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.19 R$6.07

89.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.40 R$7.14

29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.27 R$6.51

77.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.37 R$12.13

-5.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.89 R$35.21

183.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.68 R$18.79

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.00 R$35.76

86.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.14 R$10.93

50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.24 R$6.33

30.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.12 R$5.73

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.59 R$8.14

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.32 R$6.77

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.04 R$5.34

44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.51 R$2.60

92.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.70 R$3.58

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.66 R$8.50

167.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.59 R$38.81

141.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.20 R$6.14

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.61 R$8.23

66.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.88 R$4.52

60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$37.76 R$193

-69.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.14 R$5.81

172.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.64 R$3.25

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$3.51 R$17.93

301.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.08 R$5.53

21.30%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$16.3K R$83.4K

70.41%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.1K R$112.7K

50.61%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$72.4 R$370

69.21%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$16.31 R$83.4

-16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$16.87 R$86.2

10.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$22.08 R$113

173.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$21.73 R$111

-21.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.44 R$32.93

40.84%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$260 R$1,329

171.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$6,600 R$33.7K

139.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$42.31 R$216

38.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$50.2 R$257

-29.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$83.9 R$429

37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$77.5 R$396

8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$314 R$1,604

99.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$215 R$1,100

106.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$581 R$2,967

251.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$428 R$2,186

248.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,837 R$9,390

89.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,302 R$6,652

97.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-64.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arapiraca: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $314 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Arapiraca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $172 – making Arapiraca 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 Arapiraca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $796 in Arapiraca – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,194 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $260 in Arapiraca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $796, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $796 in Arapiraca to $1,250 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.