Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and the Azores

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,611 in the Azores, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Azores, Portugal
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Azores
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,611
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in the Azores

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in the Azores actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,611 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Azores $1,611

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,369 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Azores $2,369

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $3,126 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Azores $3,126

Phuket is about 21% cheaper than the Azores, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Azores is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$11.71 €10.52
-61.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$46.92 €42.15
-30.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$9.52 €8.55
-7.46%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$2.16 €1.94
31.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$1.93 €1.73
-54.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$1.43 €1.28
-65.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$2.25 €2.02
13.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.52 €3.16
4.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.05 €0.94
58.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.53 €1.38
-4.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.61 €1.44
-6.83%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.98 €2.68
-29.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$11.46 €10.29
66.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$7.67 €6.89
-56.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$14.24 €12.80
-23.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$2.28 €2.05
28.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.41 €1.27
19.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.79 €1.61
25.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$2.53 €2.28
-17.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.51 €1.36
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.84 €1.66
-25.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.55 €1.39
-30.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.86 €0.77
-39.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.19 €5.56
-32.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$5.14 €4.61
265.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.30 €1.16
40.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.31 €2.07
22.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Azores
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$2.29 €2.05
-36.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$42.46 €38.14
33.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$4.09 €3.67
-26.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$0.86 €0.77
18.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$17.57 €15.78
-79.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.99 €1.78
-26.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$34.4K €30.9K
-22.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$39.5K €35.5K
-32.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$135 €121
-28.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$21.13 €18.98
-46.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$41.30 €37.10
-59.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$44.64 €40.10
50.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$17.35 €15.58
-38.16%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$8.48 €7.62
-11.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$471 €423
0.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$8,351 €7,502
34.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$73.9 €66.3
-15.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$38.73 €34.79
-26.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$92.6 €83.2
1.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$92.2 €82.8
-6.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Azores
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$944 €848
-24.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$734 €659
-33.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,457 €1,309
32.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,169 €1,050
22.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$3,049 €2,739
36.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$2,337 €2,100
30.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Azores
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.01
11.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for the Azores: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Azores
$734 49.4% $243
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Azores
$245 7.8% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Azores
$197 58.4% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Azores
$134 9.8% $12
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Azores
$180 47.8% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Azores
$62 25.1% $21
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Azores
$60 15% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $944 in the Azores. 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 in Phuket versus $47 in the Azores. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $245 in the Azores – so Azores wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇹 Azores
🕒 Local time
04:19 4:19 AM
20:19 8:19 PM
8 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
236,657
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Azores 12,320 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Azores

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Azores: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than the Azores?
Yes – Azores is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,417 in the Azores. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $944 in the Azores.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in the Azores?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in the Azores – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in the Azores?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $47 in the Azores. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in the Azores?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in the Azores at $1,611. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in the Azores it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in the Azores?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,611 in the Azores. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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