😐A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $775 in Barra do Garças, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,240 in Barra do Garças, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,705 in Barra do Garças, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 61% more than Barra do Garças, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Barra do Garças are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Barra do Garças42% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$5.35R$27.33
-14.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,554
$26.80R$137
72.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿298
$6.28R$32.10
40.76%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.78R$9.10
71.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.42
$1.09R$5.56
-33.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.40
$0.61R$3.13
-34.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.84R$9.42
32.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.63R$13.45
43.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.00R$5.11
126.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.47R$7.50
23.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.13R$5.78
99.12%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.6
$1.97R$10.08
14.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$8.02R$41.01
143.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$3.69R$18.88
-1.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$7.17R$36.67
82.01%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$2.04R$10.41
58.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.24R$6.35
30.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.2
$1.20R$6.13
98.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.2
$1.46R$7.48
39.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.19R$6.08
28.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.06R$5.43
41.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.93
$0.73R$3.75
34.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.40
$0.62R$3.17
-16.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.18R$11.15
103.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$7.57R$38.71
142.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.21R$6.19
53.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.2
$2.01R$10.27
33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.49
$0.92R$4.70
53.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿394
$37.81R$193
-69.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$1.10R$5.60
182.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.08
$0.76R$3.90
36.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿475
$6.27R$32.03
125.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.13
$1.04R$5.33
25.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿936.0K
$20.4KR$104.5K
36.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$27.5KR$140.4K
20.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,120
$59.8R$306
104.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$13.43R$68.6
1.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$18.54R$94.7
0.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,035
$22.68R$116
166.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿572
$21.78R$111
-22.04%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$6.34R$32.39
43.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$273R$1,396
158.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.8K
$6,498R$33.2K
143.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,970
$49.26R$252
18.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,190
$42.54R$217
-16.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,885
$76.7R$392
50.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,818
$64.4R$329
30.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.1K
$315R$1,610
98.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$216R$1,104
106.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.7K
$577R$2,948
253.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$436R$2,231
241.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.2K
$1,445R$7,386
140.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$1,091R$5,577
136.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Barra do Garças
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.92
-51.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Barra do Garças: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $315 in Barra do Garças. 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 $27.00 in Barra do Garças. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $172 – making Barra do Garças 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 Barra do Garças: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Barra do Garças compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $775 in Barra do Garças – roughly 61% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Barra do Garças?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,162 in Barra do Garças. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Barra do Garças?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barra do Garças, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Barra do Garças?
Public transport costs about 223% less in Barra do Garças. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Barra do Garças?
Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $273 in Barra do Garças. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barra do Garças, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Barra do Garças it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Barra do Garças?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $775 in Barra do Garças to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Barra do Garças safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Barra do Garças?
If budget matters most, go with Barra do Garças. 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.