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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $692 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,093 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,495 in Contagem, rent included.

Phuket costs about 83% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Contagem 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.37 R$21.86

7.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$18.32 R$91.7

147.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.69 R$28.48

48.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.27 R$6.37

130.71%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.93 R$4.66

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.47 R$2.35

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.14 R$5.73

111.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.26 R$11.33

64.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.93 R$4.65

139.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.53 R$7.64

19.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.56 R$7.80

39.10%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.61 R$8.07

37.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.90 R$39.54

149.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.21 R$16.06

13.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.11 R$25.58

164.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.85 R$9.26

77.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.34 R$6.69

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.88 R$4.42

173.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.36 R$6.79

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.02 R$5.10

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.81 R$4.03

82.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.69 R$3.46

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.63 R$3.16

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.13 R$10.64

107.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.96 R$29.84

225.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.03 R$5.15

72.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.22 R$11.09

22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.34 R$6.69

2.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$72.3 R$362

-84.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.93 R$4.65

224.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.97 R$4.87

2.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.94 R$39.76

77.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.03 R$5.14

32.04%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$25.0K R$125.3K

12.68%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.1K R$145.7K

13.03%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$64.2 R$321

89.62%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$14.08 R$70.5

-3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$16.13 R$80.7

13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$24.20 R$121

148.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.68 R$109

-20.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.39 R$31.99

35.99%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$134 R$669

418.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,853 R$34.3K

128.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$51.8 R$259

14.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$37.65 R$188

-7.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$73.3 R$367

56.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$63.8 R$319

30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$203 R$1,016

202.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$118 R$590

270.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$436 R$2,184

379.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$266 R$1,330

467.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,949 R$9,753

92.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,002 R$5,012

161.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$256 R$1,279

98.78%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Contagem: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $203 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 99% 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 $18.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $156 – 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 83%, 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 $1,038 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 535% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $134 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 $692, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.