Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,305 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,784 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Phuket costs about 49% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cabo Frio 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.28 R$36.34

-36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$28.95 R$144

61.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.11 R$30.51

44.68%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.95 R$9.73

53.85%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.32 R$6.57

-43.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.57 R$2.83

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.82 R$9.10

34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.78 R$13.88

29.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.13 R$5.62

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.76 R$8.79

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.42 R$7.10

57.75%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.96 R$9.80

18.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.79 R$38.87

152.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.63 R$18.11

0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.91 R$39.48

65.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.30 R$11.45

47.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.63 R$8.12

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.51 R$7.55

59.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.56 R$7.79

30.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.29 R$6.43

20.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.16 R$5.80

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.68 R$3.40

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.56 R$2.81

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.96 R$9.77

127.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$7.98 R$39.81

136.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.21 R$6.04

47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.05 R$10.23

34.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.13 R$5.63

23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$38.22 R$191

-69.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.12 R$5.59

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.69 R$3.45

44.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$7.39 R$36.88

90.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.12 R$5.56

20.54%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.2K R$101.0K

34.31%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.1K R$135.4K

21.35%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$101 R$505

23.50%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$12.15 R$60.6

11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.81 R$93.9

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.65 R$113

171.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.66 R$108

-22.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.62 R$33.04

38.82%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$546 R$2,727

27.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$11.6K R$57.8K

34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$44.47 R$222

29.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$40.94 R$204

-13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$76.9 R$383

47.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$62.0 R$310

39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$318 R$1,588

93.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$220 R$1,096

103.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$583 R$2,907

251.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$421 R$2,103

254.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$280 R$1,398

86.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.33

-52.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $318 in Cabo Frio. 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 87% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $185 – making Cabo Frio 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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,238 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $825 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 233% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cabo Frio. 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.