Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cerquilho Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cerquilho

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $726 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,158 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,589 in Cerquilho, rent included.

Phuket costs about 74% more than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cerquilho are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cerquilho 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.33 R$32.58

-25.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$29.27 R$151

55.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$7.01 R$36.11

20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$1.76 R$9.05

66.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$1.31 R$6.76

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.88 R$4.51

-57.95%

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

$2.64 R$13.61

40.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.09 R$5.63

104.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.41 R$7.25

29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.26 R$6.47

72.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.32 R$11.94

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$8.07 R$41.57

144.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.84 R$9.47

97.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$5.53 R$28.50

144.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$1.83 R$9.43

79.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.75 R$8.99

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.09 R$5.62

121.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.52 R$7.82

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.24 R$6.40

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$0.52 R$2.65

184.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$0.78 R$4.04

26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$0.53 R$2.72

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$1.25 R$6.41

252.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$8.84 R$45.51

119.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.11 R$5.71

60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.62 R$13.50

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$0.94 R$4.87

45.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$38.54 R$199

-70.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$0.94 R$4.87

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.02 R$5.25

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$8.72 R$44.94

61.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.02 R$5.24

33.33%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$22.2K R$114.5K

26.86%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.3K R$150.8K

12.40%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$47.88 R$247

154.18%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$12.39 R$63.8

9.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$14.21 R$73.2

28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$22.87 R$118

163.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$21.51 R$111

-20.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$5.25 R$27.02

65.52%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$308 R$1,587

125.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$6,857 R$35.3K

128.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$30.58 R$158

94.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$17.87 R$92.1

94.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$53.8 R$277

113.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$72.6 R$374

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$313 R$1,613

95.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$218 R$1,122

100.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$585 R$3,014

257.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$424 R$2,183

256.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$1,799 R$9,267

108.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,231 R$6,341

112.50%

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 Cerquilho: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $313 in Cerquilho. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Cerquilho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $164 – making Cerquilho 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 Cerquilho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 74% more than Cerquilho, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,089 in Cerquilho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $308 in Cerquilho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cerquilho, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Cerquilho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $726 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cerquilho. 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.