Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barreiras

For one person, living is cheaper in Barreiras: $829 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Barreiras, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Barreiras
🇧🇷 Brazil
$829
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Barreiras

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 Barreiras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $829 in Barreiras.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Barreiras $829

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,316 in Barreiras.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Barreiras $1,316

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,803 in Barreiras.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Barreiras $1,803

Living in Phuket is roughly 56% more expensive than in Barreiras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Barreiras 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$5.60 R$30.76
-21.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$29.98 R$165
7.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$7.35 R$40.34
18.37%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$1.90 R$10.44
43.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$1.26 R$6.89
-26.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.74 R$4.06
-32.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$1.90 R$10.43
33.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$2.82 R$15.48
28.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$1.01 R$5.54
72.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.59 R$8.72
-8.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.21 R$6.63
23.97%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$2.09 R$11.46
3.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$8.82 R$48.40
116.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$4.14 R$22.71
-17.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$7.98 R$43.82
36.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$2.14 R$11.74
37.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.24 R$6.80
36.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$1.12 R$6.14
95.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$1.47 R$8.06
44.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.17 R$6.44
24.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$1.04 R$5.69
31.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$0.77 R$4.21
40.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.77 R$4.21
-28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.38 R$13.05
86.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$7.34 R$40.26
148.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.18 R$6.47
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$1.94 R$10.67
48.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.95 R$5.19
52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
$41.14 R$226
33.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.18 R$6.45
27.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$0.81 R$4.43
-3.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$7.58 R$41.58
-49.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$1.22 R$6.72
22.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$21.8K R$119.7K
23.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$31.6K R$173.3K
-16.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$71.6 R$393
36.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$11.56 R$63.4
-2.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$19.43 R$107
-11.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$24.02 R$132
184.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$26.08 R$143
-58.13%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$6.95 R$38.14
6.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$259 R$1,423
104.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$6,653 R$36.5K
182.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$51.0 R$280
20.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$47.31 R$260
-40.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$83.3 R$457
15.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$67.3 R$369
29.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$331 R$1,818
117.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$231 R$1,270
119.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$629 R$3,450
210.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$444 R$2,437
214.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$1,572 R$8,630
166.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,128 R$6,189
192.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Barreiras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11
-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Barreiras: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Barreiras
$231 54.5% $277
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Barreiras
$183 31.6% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Barreiras
$103 18.8% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Barreiras
$112 8.7% $11
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Barreiras
$113 5.6% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Barreiras
$38 54.4% $45
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Barreiras
$50 24.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $331 in Barreiras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $30 in Barreiras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $183 per month, with Barreiras cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Barreiras
🕒 Local time
09:01 9:01 AM
23:01 11:01 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
159,734
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Barreiras 15,980 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Barreiras

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 Barreiras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barreiras cheaper than Phuket?
Barreiras is about 36% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,244 in Barreiras 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Barreiras?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $331 in Barreiras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $259 in Barreiras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Barreiras?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Barreiras?
At $829 in Barreiras versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Barreiras but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Barreiras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Barreiras?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Barreiras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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