Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $866 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,408 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,949 in Brasilia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.33 R$37.31

-37.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$40.07 R$204

15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.37 R$32.45

38.78%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.88 R$9.56

62.77%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.18 R$6.01

-38.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.86 R$4.38

-53.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.83 R$9.33

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.30 R$16.82

14.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.00 R$5.08

126.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.61 R$8.19

12.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.41 R$7.20

59.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.12 R$10.77

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.51 R$48.40

105.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.29 R$16.75

10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.92 R$35.24

88.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.02 R$10.30

59.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.40 R$7.10

15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.15 R$5.85

106.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.60 R$8.16

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.23 R$6.25

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.29 R$6.56

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.74 R$3.77

32.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.65 R$3.33

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.20 R$11.18

101.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.96 R$40.52

130.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.08 R$5.49

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.26 R$11.48

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.98 R$4.97

43.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$44.21 R$225

-73.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.95 R$4.85

227.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.79 R$4.04

31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$5.78 R$29.40

144.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.12 R$5.71

16.96%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.7K R$125.9K

12.49%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$29.3K R$149.2K

13.32%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$71.2 R$363

71.92%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.29 R$67.7

2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$20.78 R$106

-10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$25.51 R$130

137.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$21.65 R$110

-21.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.07 R$35.97

28.29%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$480 R$2,444

47.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$15.3K R$77.7K

3.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$57.6 R$293

1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$40.90 R$208

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$67.8 R$345

70.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$64.1 R$327

30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$409 R$2,081

53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$256 R$1,304

73.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$966 R$4,916

111.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$554 R$2,819

169.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,502 R$12.7K

39.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,681 R$8,561

53.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$938 R$4,775

-46.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.87

-55.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $409 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $180 per month, with Brasilia 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 Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Brasilia differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $866 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Brasilia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $409 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $866 in Brasilia – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Brasilia versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia 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 Brasilia 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.