Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ilheus Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ilheus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $821 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,341 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,862 in Ilheus, rent included.

Phuket costs about 50% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ilheus are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Ilheus 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.24 R$21.85

4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$31.60 R$163

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.09 R$36.52

25.95%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.97 R$10.17

47.21%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.25 R$6.45

-29.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.87 R$4.48

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.04 R$10.50

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.49 R$12.82

49.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.04 R$5.37

79.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.68 R$8.67

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.21 R$6.26

28.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.18 R$11.22

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$18.15 R$93.5

7.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.22 R$21.76

-18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.59 R$39.08

49.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.08 R$10.74

43.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.28 R$6.61

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.19 R$6.13

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.59 R$8.21

35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.22 R$6.27

24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.06 R$5.45

26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.81 R$4.15

39.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.74 R$3.79

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.45 R$12.62

73.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.35 R$37.87

159.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.16 R$5.99

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.78 R$9.18

56.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.99 R$5.11

125.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$38.82 R$200

-41.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.30 R$6.68

133.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.84 R$4.35

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.27 R$42.60

-52.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.17 R$6.05

27.35%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$25.1K R$129.5K

5.73%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.2K R$176.1K

-20.94%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$72.5 R$373

41.44%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$12.31 R$63.4

-7.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$20.55 R$106

-15.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$25.71 R$132

102.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$28.55 R$147

-61.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.37 R$37.99

4.34%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$311 R$1,602

80.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,045 R$41.4K

43.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$45.72 R$236

37.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$45.77 R$236

-35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$106 R$547

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$63.3 R$326

39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$218 R$1,122

238.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$198 R$1,021

143.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$535 R$2,756

293.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$413 R$2,129

196.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,824 R$9,397

98.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,251 R$6,447

108.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$574 R$2,955

-13.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.06

-49.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $218 in Ilheus. 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 16% higher in Ilheus, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $32.00 in Ilheus. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $212 in Ilheus – so Ilheus wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $821 in Ilheus – roughly 50% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,231 in Ilheus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $32.00 in Ilheus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $821, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Ilheus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $821 in Ilheus to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ilheus. 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.