Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $671 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,088 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,504 in Contagem, rent included.

Phuket costs about 86% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Contagem 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.60 R$23.40

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$17.71 R$90.2

160.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.79 R$29.46

52.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.24 R$6.31

146.77%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.86 R$4.36

-15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.43 R$2.18

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.18 R$6.02

105.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.21 R$11.26

71.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.88 R$4.47

156.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.47 R$7.46

23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.54 R$7.86

46.10%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.55 R$7.90

45.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.92 R$40.31

146.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.18 R$16.19

14.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.24 R$26.65

149.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.84 R$9.35

75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.28 R$6.54

26.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.92 R$4.69

158.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.32 R$6.71

53.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.03 R$5.22

48.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.81 R$4.15

85.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.69 R$3.53

42.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.64 R$3.25

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.22 R$11.31

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.89 R$29.97

211.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.04 R$5.29

78.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.14 R$10.87

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.37 R$6.98

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$73.8 R$376

-84.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.92 R$4.67

238.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.03 R$5.26

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$8.07 R$41.07

74.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.05 R$5.37

24.76%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.9K R$127.0K

11.51%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.8K R$146.8K

15.19%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$64.0 R$326

91.22%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.36 R$73.1

-5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$16.12 R$82.1

16.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$24.21 R$123

149.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$21.20 R$108

-19.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.31 R$32.12

43.74%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$137 R$698

414.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,743 R$34.3K

134.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$52.2 R$266

12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$36.62 R$186

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$72.0 R$367

60.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$65.8 R$335

27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$204 R$1,036

207.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$120 R$609

271.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$439 R$2,235

364.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$265 R$1,351

462.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,976 R$10.1K

76.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$964 R$4,907

167.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$250 R$1,274

99.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.83

-50.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Contagem: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $204 in Contagem. 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 100% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $155 – making Contagem 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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,006 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 531% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $137 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – 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 Contagem. 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.