Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barbacena Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barbacena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $728 in Barbacena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,130 in Barbacena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,533 in Barbacena.

Living in Phuket is roughly 73% more expensive than in Barbacena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Barbacena 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$5.24 R$27.23

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$20.46 R$106

71.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$5.86 R$30.44

52.90%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.67 R$8.67

79.64%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.56 R$8.10

-50.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.83 R$4.32

-43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.24 R$6.43

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$2.14 R$11.09

75.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.04 R$5.40

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.96 R$10.19

-27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.30 R$6.75

19.23%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.19 R$11.39

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$6.78 R$35.19

191.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.48 R$18.06

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$9.59 R$49.81

15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.12 R$5.80

159.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.73 R$8.97

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.58 R$8.18

43.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.16 R$6.05

81.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.76 R$3.94

93.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.02 R$5.32

38.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.59 R$3.08

84.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.57 R$2.95

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$1.76 R$9.13

154.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.86 R$30.43

219.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$0.72 R$3.73

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.54 R$13.21

16.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.99 R$5.16

128.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$48.48 R$252

-52.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.16 R$6.01

162.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.86 R$4.48

26.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$8.89 R$46.17

-57.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.19 R$6.16

25.21%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$14.4K R$74.8K

90.54%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$11.6K R$60.1K

137.78%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$80.3 R$417

26.74%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$10.88 R$56.5

3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$13.36 R$69.4

32.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$24.95 R$130

117.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$26.77 R$139

-59.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$6.84 R$35.54

14.77%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$552 R$2,865

4.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$12.7K R$66.0K

-8.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$40.00 R$208

63.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$43.91 R$228

-34.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$68.2 R$354

45.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$62.8 R$326

43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$217 R$1,125

248.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$164 R$850

197.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$410 R$2,127

408.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$295 R$1,533

308.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,708 R$8,867

110.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,173 R$6,089

122.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Barbacena: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $217 in Barbacena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Barbacena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $172 per month, with Barbacena cheaper across the board.

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 Barbacena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Barbacena differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $728 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,092 in Barbacena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Phuket versus $217 in Barbacena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $728 in Barbacena – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 110% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $728 in Barbacena versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Barbacena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Barbacena are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barbacena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.