Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cariacica Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cariacica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $684 in Cariacica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,025 in Cariacica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,366 in Cariacica, rent included.

Phuket costs about 85% more than Cariacica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cariacica are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cariacica 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.22 R$16.60

45.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$12.43 R$64.0

265.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$4.41 R$22.70

91.16%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$0.94 R$4.83

211.70%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$0.86 R$4.44

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.56 R$2.90

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.11 R$5.72

117.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.83 R$9.40

103.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$0.79 R$4.09

182.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.50 R$7.74

22.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$0.89 R$4.57

143.82%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$1.40 R$7.21

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$7.00 R$36.04

182.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.26 R$16.80

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$6.29 R$32.40

115.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$1.47 R$7.58

123.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$0.88 R$4.55

82.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.61 R$3.14

295.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.15 R$5.94

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.99 R$5.11

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.42 R$7.33

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$0.37 R$1.91

167.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$0.56 R$2.89

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$1.65 R$8.48

167.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$9.00 R$46.34

115.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$0.95 R$4.89

87.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$1.28 R$6.57

111.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$1.03 R$5.29

33.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$38.81 R$200

-70.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$0.80 R$4.11

277.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$0.70 R$3.59

41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$2.89 R$14.89

387.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$0.98 R$5.03

38.78%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$14.6K R$75.3K

92.90%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.5K R$141.6K

19.68%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$90.6 R$467

34.30%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$14.23 R$73.3

-4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$17.12 R$88.2

6.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$17.18 R$88.5

250.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$21.38 R$110

-19.83%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$7.45 R$38.39

16.64%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$417 R$2,149

66.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$6,598 R$34.0K

137.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$37.18 R$192

60.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$24.86 R$128

39.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$27.27 R$140

320.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$25.04 R$129

232.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$318 R$1,636

93.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$218 R$1,124

100.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$580 R$2,988

261.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$431 R$2,220

250.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$1,585 R$8,167

136.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,076 R$5,544

143.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$393 R$2,022

29.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.38

-48.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cariacica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $318 in Cariacica. 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 29% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Cariacica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $148 – making Cariacica 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 Cariacica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 85%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,026 in Cariacica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cariacica, 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 $12.00 in Cariacica. 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 $684 in Cariacica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cariacica, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Cariacica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cariacica – 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 Cariacica. 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.