Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Armacao dos Buzios Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Armacao dos Buzios

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $919 in Armacao dos Buzios, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,394 in Armacao dos Buzios, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,869 in Armacao dos Buzios, rent included.

Phuket costs about 34% more than Armacao dos Buzios, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Armacao dos Buzios are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Armacao dos Buzios 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.91 R$30.41

-25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$19.08 R$98.1

69.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$5.89 R$30.28

51.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.63 R$8.37

77.91%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.94 R$4.84

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.02 R$5.23

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.15 R$5.89

104.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.36 R$12.13

57.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.93 R$4.77

101.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.94 R$9.96

-24.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.10 R$5.66

40.91%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.50 R$7.73

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$10.65 R$54.8

83.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.17 R$21.45

-17.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$9.69 R$49.85

17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.62 R$13.47

13.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.76 R$9.04

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.55 R$7.97

42.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.77 R$9.10

22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.74 R$3.83

105.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.04 R$5.34

28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.70 R$3.61

61.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.63 R$3.25

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.85 R$14.66

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$9.00 R$46.30

112.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.17 R$6.01

52.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.45 R$12.59

13.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.93 R$4.80

139.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$45.40 R$233

-49.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.23 R$6.30

146.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.87 R$4.46

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.79 R$45.18

-55.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.15 R$5.91

29.57%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$22.7K R$116.9K

16.94%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$32.8K R$168.9K

-17.71%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$135 R$695

-24.19%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$11.83 R$60.8

-4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$21.85 R$112

-20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$25.67 R$132

102.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$30.22 R$155

-63.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.66 R$39.38

0.39%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$566 R$2,910

-0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$13.0K R$66.8K

-11.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$41.06 R$211

53.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$47.23 R$243

-37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$74.2 R$382

32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$64.7 R$333

36.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$389 R$2,000

89.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$233 R$1,196

107.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$654 R$3,363

222.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$461 R$2,371

165.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,756 R$9,031

105.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,249 R$6,422

108.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.93

-53.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Armacao dos Buzios: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $389 in Armacao dos Buzios. 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 $19.00 in Armacao dos Buzios. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $203 – making Armacao dos Buzios 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 Armacao dos Buzios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $919 in Armacao dos Buzios – roughly 34% 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 $1,379 in Armacao dos Buzios. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $19.00 in Armacao dos Buzios. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Armacao dos Buzios, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Armacao dos Buzios 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 $919 in Armacao dos Buzios 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 Armacao dos Buzios. 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.