Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arcos de Valdevez Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arcos de Valdevez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,521 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,246 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,971 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

Phuket is about 17% cheaper than Arcos de Valdevez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Arcos de Valdevez is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$9.34 €8.10

-49.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$43.02 €37.32

5.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.49 €7.36

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$1.82 €1.58

60.99%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.51 €1.31

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.25 €1.08

-70.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.27 €1.97

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.12 €2.71

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$1.10 €0.95

102.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.71 €1.48

7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.78 €1.54

21.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.27 €1.97

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$9.03 €7.83

118.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.76 €6.74

-53.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$14.03 €12.17

-3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.36 €2.04

38.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$1.53 €1.33

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.02 €1.76

19.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$2.37 €2.05

-12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.37 €1.19

11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$1.69 €1.47

-12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$1.03 €0.89

-3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.59 €0.51

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.91 €5.13

-25.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$5.95 €5.16

225.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.10 €0.95

61.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$1.72 €1.50

57.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$2.34 €2.03

-41.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$42.29 €36.69

-73.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$4.42 €3.83

-31.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$1.20 €1.04

-17.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$14.75 €12.80

-4.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.96 €1.70

-30.61%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$28.5K €24.7K

-0.90%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.7K €34.5K

-17.16%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$102 €88.8

18.86%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$17.59 €15.26

-22.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$34.40 €29.84

-46.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$44.24 €38.37

36.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$13.81 €11.98

24.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$8.37 €7.26

3.82%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$354 €307

96.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$8,316 €7,214

88.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$73.7 €63.9

-19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$33.80 €29.32

2.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$93.7 €81.3

22.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$103 €89.7

-19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$939 €814

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$738 €641

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$1,455 €1,262

43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$1,180 €1,024

27.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$3,220 €2,793

16.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$2,346 €2,035

11.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$1,982 €1,719

-74.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.43

-1.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arcos de Valdevez: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $939 in Arcos de Valdevez. 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 290% higher in Arcos de Valdevez, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Arcos de Valdevez. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $233 – making Arcos de Valdevez 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 Arcos de Valdevez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arcos de Valdevez costs about 20% more than Phuket, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,281 in Arcos de Valdevez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $354 in Arcos de Valdevez. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Arcos de Valdevez – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Arcos de Valdevez at $1,521. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arcos de Valdevez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,521 in Arcos de Valdevez. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arcos de Valdevez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.