😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $785 in Castanhal.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,230 in Castanhal.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,676 in Castanhal.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 61% more expensive than Castanhal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Castanhal41% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$5.38R$27.73
-12.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$27.39R$141
65.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$6.23R$32.08
35.31%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$1.74R$8.95
68.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$1.12R$5.77
-38.39%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.66R$3.39
-43.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.85R$9.51
30.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.64R$13.62
40.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$0.92R$4.75
142.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$1.47R$7.56
24.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.19R$6.15
82.35%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$2.04R$10.52
8.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$8.32R$42.85
137.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$3.60R$18.53
0.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$7.20R$37.09
87.92%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$2.13R$10.97
53.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.26R$6.51
27.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.14R$5.85
111.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$1.49R$7.68
39.60%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.14R$5.86
34.21%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$1.11R$5.72
33.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$0.69R$3.56
43.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$0.66R$3.41
-22.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$2.10R$10.84
110.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$6.81R$35.10
184.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.27R$6.53
40.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$2.08R$10.72
30.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$0.93R$4.81
47.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$38.19R$197
-70.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$1.10R$5.69
174.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$0.76R$3.90
30.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$6.54R$33.68
115.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$1.04R$5.36
30.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$20.4KR$105.1K
38.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$27.8KR$143.3K
18.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$61.0R$314
99.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$13.75R$70.9
-1.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$18.73R$96.5
-2.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$22.87R$118
163.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$21.99R$113
-22.06%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$6.23R$32.09
39.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$266R$1,369
160.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$6,397R$33.0K
145.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$48.34R$249
23.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$42.34R$218
-17.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$77.1R$397
48.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$63.2R$326
31.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$321R$1,655
90.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$213R$1,098
105.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$585R$3,012
258.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$438R$2,255
244.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$1,771R$9,125
111.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$1,097R$5,653
138.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Castanhal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.92
-51.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Castanhal: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $321 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $172 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 – living expenses run 61% 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 $1,898 in Phuket and $1,177 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: $613 in Phuket versus $321 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 – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $45.00 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 $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $785 in Castanhal – a 61% 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 $785 in Castanhal versus $1,265 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 – similar infrastructure at $785 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 – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.