Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barretos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barretos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $753 in Barretos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,222 in Barretos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,690 in Barretos, rent included.

Phuket costs about 63% more than Barretos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barretos are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Barretos 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.33 R$31.60

-26.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$21.53 R$107

117.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.55 R$27.71

59.28%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.48 R$7.37

102.70%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.23 R$6.12

-39.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.53 R$2.64

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.81 R$9.04

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.73 R$13.60

32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.03 R$5.12

119.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.74 R$8.70

5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.17 R$5.86

91.45%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.29 R$11.42

1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.14 R$50.6

93.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.04 R$20.14

-9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.44 R$42.12

55.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.08 R$10.38

62.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.69 R$8.42

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.38 R$6.90

74.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.72 R$8.61

18.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.42 R$7.07

9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.38 R$6.89

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.99 R$4.94

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.63 R$3.14

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.83 R$9.13

143.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.32 R$41.52

126.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.36 R$6.77

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.06 R$10.29

33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.93 R$4.65

50.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$38.83 R$194

-70.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.15 R$5.74

171.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.58 R$2.90

72.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$7.98 R$39.81

76.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.83 R$4.16

62.65%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.5K R$112.2K

20.93%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K R$139.4K

17.83%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$27.00 R$135

362.89%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.26 R$26.24

157.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$14.61 R$72.9

26.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.50 R$112

173.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.94 R$110

-23.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.36 R$36.74

24.86%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$321 R$1,603

117.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,911 R$44.5K

74.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$54.0 R$269

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$21.74 R$109

62.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$75.2 R$375

50.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$64.1 R$320

34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$314 R$1,565

96.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$219 R$1,094

103.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$588 R$2,933

248.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$423 R$2,110

252.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,701 R$8,490

122.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,196 R$5,969

121.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$567 R$2,830

-7.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.17

-52.28%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barretos: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $314 in Barretos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Barretos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Barretos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $198 – making Barretos 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 Barretos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $753 in Barretos – roughly 63% 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 $1,130 in Barretos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Barretos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $753 in Barretos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $753, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Barretos 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 $753 in Barretos 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 Barretos. 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.