Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caldas da Rainha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caldas da Rainha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,486 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,267 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,047 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

Phuket is about 15% cheaper than Caldas da Rainha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Caldas da Rainha is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$17.24 €14.85

-72.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$49.69 €42.79

-8.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.51 €9.05

-19.79%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.59 €1.37

84.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.41 €2.07

-71.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.34 €1.15

-72.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.32 €2.00

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.26 €2.81

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.06 €0.92

110.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.44 €1.24

27.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.62 €1.39

33.95%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.92 €2.52

-24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.78 €9.28

83.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.42 €6.39

-51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.02 €11.21

3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.03 €1.75

61.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.39 €1.20

15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.81 €1.56

33.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.52 €2.17

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.00 €1.73

-23.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.94 €1.67

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.29 €1.11

-23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.88 €0.76

-42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.65 €4.86

-21.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$4.10 €3.53

372.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.70 €1.46

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.78 €1.53

52.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$3.79 €3.27

-63.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$34.99 €30.13

-67.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.94 €2.53

2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.80 €0.69

23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$17.58 €15.14

-19.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$2.01 €1.73

-32.34%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$41.3K €35.6K

-31.75%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.0K €33.6K

-15.70%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$114 €97.7

7.22%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$19.78 €17.03

-31.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$41.54 €35.77

-55.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$50.1 €43.15

20.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$28.43 €24.48

-39.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.06 €7.80

-4.08%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$421 €362

64.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,875 €5,059

167.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$100 €86.2

-40.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$42.66 €36.73

-18.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$114 €98.5

0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$70.7 €60.8

17.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$853 €735

-28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$572 €493

-23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,276 €1,099

64.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$974 €839

55.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$2,989 €2,574

25.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$2,409 €2,075

8.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,176 €1,013

-56.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.39

21.41%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Caldas da Rainha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $853 in Caldas da Rainha. 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 131% higher in Caldas da Rainha, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Caldas da Rainha. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $236 in Caldas da Rainha – so Caldas da Rainha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Caldas da Rainha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Caldas da Rainha is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,229 in Caldas da Rainha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $50.0 in Caldas da Rainha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,486 in Caldas da Rainha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Caldas da Rainha at $1,486. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caldas da Rainha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caldas da Rainha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.