Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castanhal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castanhal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $768 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,219 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Castanhal.

Living in Phuket is roughly 65% more expensive than Castanhal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Castanhal 43% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 เธฟ150
$5.46 R$27.14
-14.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 เธฟ1,496
$26.84 R$133
73.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 เธฟ280
$6.14 R$30.50
41.37%
Cappuccino
$2.95 เธฟ95.0
$1.73 R$8.60
70.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 เธฟ22.52
$1.08 R$5.34
-35.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 เธฟ12.70
$0.65 R$3.24
-40.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 เธฟ81.6
$1.76 R$8.76
43.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 เธฟ122
$2.66 R$13.23
42.11%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 เธฟ71.5
$0.92 R$4.59
141.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 เธฟ57.8
$1.44 R$7.14
25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 เธฟ70.4
$1.13 R$5.59
93.81%
Eggs
$2.31 เธฟ74.5
$1.95 R$9.67
18.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 เธฟ623
$8.32 R$41.35
132.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 เธฟ121
$3.54 R$17.61
6.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 เธฟ426
$7.10 R$35.26
86.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 เธฟ107
$2.04 R$10.16
63.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 เธฟ53.1
$1.26 R$6.25
30.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 เธฟ73.7
$1.19 R$5.92
92.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 เธฟ64.1
$1.44 R$7.16
38.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 เธฟ49.24
$1.15 R$5.72
33.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 เธฟ48.77
$1.11 R$5.52
36.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 เธฟ33.12
$0.69 R$3.42
49.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 เธฟ16.57
$0.63 R$3.12
-19.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 เธฟ142
$2.11 R$10.51
109.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 เธฟ625
$8.53 R$42.42
127.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 เธฟ58.0
$1.28 R$6.34
40.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 เธฟ86.4
$2.06 R$10.23
30.10%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 เธฟ46.11
$0.88 R$4.38
62.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 เธฟ377
$38.11 R$189
-69.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 เธฟ97.9
$1.06 R$5.24
186.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 เธฟ33.37
$0.71 R$3.51
46.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 เธฟ441
$6.35 R$31.56
115.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 เธฟ41.85
$1.07 R$5.32
21.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K เธฟ898.9K
$21.1K R$104.9K
32.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K เธฟ1.1M
$27.6K R$137.3K
19.57%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 เธฟ3,962
$60.7 R$301
102.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 เธฟ445
$13.59 R$67.6
1.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 เธฟ608
$19.07 R$94.8
-1.10%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 เธฟ1,970
$22.46 R$112
172.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 เธฟ541
$21.19 R$105
-20.67%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 เธฟ286
$6.14 R$30.50
44.46%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 เธฟ22.4K
$266 R$1,322
161.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K เธฟ517.4K
$6,577 R$32.7K
144.15%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 เธฟ1,910
$48.69 R$242
21.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 เธฟ1,123
$42.48 R$211
-17.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 เธฟ3,646
$74.4 R$370
52.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 เธฟ2,740
$64.2 R$319
32.44%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 เธฟ19.8K
$314 R$1,561
95.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 เธฟ14.4K
$213 R$1,060
110.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 เธฟ67.2K
$591 R$2,936
252.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 เธฟ48.2K
$435 R$2,161
244.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 เธฟ120.3K
$1,632 R$8,111
128.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 เธฟ85.8K
$1,278 R$6,353
108.23%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 เธฟ17.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
10.92
-51.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $314 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $27 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $173 per month, with Castanhal 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 Castanhal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Castanhal?
Castanhal wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 65% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Castanhal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Castanhal?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $1,152 in Castanhal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Castanhal?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $314 in Castanhal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Castanhal?
Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal โ€“ a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Castanhal?
All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $768 in Castanhal โ€“ a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Castanhal?
At $768 in Castanhal versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Castanhal but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Castanhal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Castanhal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Castanhal delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $768 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Castanhal hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Castanhal?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Castanhal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Castanhal gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 65% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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