Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Guararema Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Guararema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $698 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,146 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,594 in Guararema.

Living in Phuket is roughly 81% more expensive than in Guararema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Guararema 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.55 R$23.10

-1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$31.97 R$162

42.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.35 R$27.14

63.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$0.91 R$4.63

226.37%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.93 R$4.70

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.75 R$3.81

-48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.78 R$9.01

42.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.66 R$13.49

40.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.01 R$5.12

112.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.25 R$6.32

45.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.11 R$5.62

96.40%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.40 R$12.20

-6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.88 R$45.06

125.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.16 R$21.09

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.43 R$42.79

60.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.97 R$9.99

64.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.63 R$8.25

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.38 R$7.00

68.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.45 R$7.36

42.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.48 R$7.52

4.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.32 R$6.70

10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.35 R$1.75

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.64 R$3.25

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.84 R$9.34

136.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.95 R$30.20

212.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.35 R$6.85

37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.99 R$10.08

33.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.87 R$4.43

63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$38.36 R$195

-69.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.93 R$4.73

240.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.49 R$2.48

110.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.32 R$26.97

161.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.04 R$5.26

28.85%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$14.0K R$70.8K

99.17%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.9K R$111.1K

52.48%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$26.92 R$137

357.10%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$16.45 R$83.5

-16.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$10.87 R$55.2

68.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$22.26 R$113

172.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.92 R$111

-21.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.52 R$17.85

151.99%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$333 R$1,687

106.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,727 R$44.3K

80.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$53.2 R$270

11.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$23.28 R$118

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$72.2 R$366

59.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$54.4 R$276

54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$317 R$1,610

95.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$220 R$1,115

103.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$586 R$2,975

246.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$427 R$2,165

250.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,608 R$8,159

114.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,167 R$5,923

116.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$294 R$1,490

68.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Guararema: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $317 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Guararema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $180 per month, with Guararema 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 Guararema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guararema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $317 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $698 in Guararema – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 232% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $698 in Guararema versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guararema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Guararema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Guararema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Guararema are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guararema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.