Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Belem Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Belem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Phuket is roughly 64% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.43 R$22.39

6.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$28.57 R$145

58.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.16 R$31.15

36.85%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.59 R$8.07

84.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.93 R$4.71

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.44 R$2.20

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.60 R$8.12

50.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.70 R$18.74

0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.16 R$5.86

92.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.10 R$10.63

-12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.23 R$6.24

76.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.02 R$10.21

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.65 R$53.9

85.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.88 R$19.61

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.50 R$32.88

108.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.69 R$8.55

94.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.66 R$8.40

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.23 R$6.25

95.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.45 R$7.35

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.92 R$4.66

66.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.56 R$2.84

164.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.03 R$5.22

-3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.34 R$6.78

-61.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.38 R$12.04

85.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$9.65 R$48.83

100.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.36 R$6.88

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$4.43 R$22.42

-38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.69 R$3.48

98.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$21.60 R$109

-47.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.05 R$5.30

187.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.72 R$3.62

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.12 R$46.14

54.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.08 R$5.46

25.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$16.2K R$81.7K

74.59%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.9K R$146.3K

13.81%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$110 R$557

10.49%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.40 R$72.8

-5.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$21.23 R$107

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$20.77 R$105

189.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.71 R$110

-21.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.32 R$31.99

37.50%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$97.4 R$493

612.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,133 R$15.9K

400.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$32.96 R$167

80.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$28.72 R$145

21.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$75.0 R$379

52.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$41.69 R$211

99.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$442 R$2,237

38.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$185 R$938

135.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$815 R$4,123

157.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$457 R$2,314

230.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,996 R$10.1K

87.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,420 R$7,186

84.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$392 R$1,982

29.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.2

-56.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Belem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $206 per month, with Belem 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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $442 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 90% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $97.4 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Belem versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.