Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Imperatriz

For one person, living is cheaper in Imperatriz: $854 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Imperatriz, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Imperatriz
🇧🇷 Brazil
$854
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Imperatriz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Imperatriz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $854 in Imperatriz.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Imperatriz $854

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,356 in Imperatriz.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Imperatriz $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,859 in Imperatriz.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Imperatriz $1,859

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than in Imperatriz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Imperatriz 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$5.59 R$30.51
-21.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,085
$32.30 R$176
0.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿292
$7.75 R$42.33
12.26%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.5
$1.85 R$10.08
47.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.25
$1.35 R$7.38
-31.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.78
$0.45 R$2.45
11.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.0
$2.01 R$11.00
25.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$3.03 R$16.54
19.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.4
$1.14 R$6.24
52.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.73
$1.44 R$7.88
0.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.27 R$6.92
18.11%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.0
$2.32 R$12.64
-6.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿641
$7.41 R$40.43
157.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$3.52 R$19.23
-3.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿366
$8.81 R$48.09
23.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.8
$2.30 R$12.54
27.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.8
$1.21 R$6.63
39.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.7
$0.93 R$5.06
135.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.4
$1.42 R$7.75
49.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.99
$1.11 R$6.09
31.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.95
$1.14 R$6.25
20.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.14
$0.76 R$4.16
42.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.32
$0.72 R$3.95
-23.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$1.96 R$10.72
126.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿613
$6.48 R$35.38
181.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.5
$1.08 R$5.87
63.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.8
$1.90 R$10.39
51.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.62
$0.83 R$4.52
74.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,844
$43.87 R$240
25.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.8
$1.23 R$6.71
22.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.06
$0.74 R$4.05
5.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$7.59 R$41.45
-49.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.96
$1.14 R$6.22
30.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿902.9K
$22.8K R$124.6K
17.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿884.9K
$30.2K R$164.9K
-12.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,285
$65.1 R$355
50.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿379
$12.79 R$69.8
-11.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿577
$19.61 R$107
-12.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,295
$23.65 R$129
188.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿367
$24.82 R$136
-56.00%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$6.04 R$33.00
23.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.8K
$266 R$1,452
99.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿630.9K
$5,987 R$32.7K
213.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,072
$45.69 R$249
34.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿949
$46.81 R$256
-39.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,225
$88.5 R$483
8.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,916
$68.6 R$374
26.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.2K
$288 R$1,575
149.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$268 R$1,460
90.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.5K
$612 R$3,340
218.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.9K
$505 R$2,756
176.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.8K
$1,613 R$8,809
159.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.8K
$1,168 R$6,379
182.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Imperatriz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11
-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Imperatriz: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Imperatriz
$268 47.4% $241
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Imperatriz
$176 34.2% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Imperatriz
$97 22.8% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Imperatriz
$112 8.5% $10
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Imperatriz
$113 5.1% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Imperatriz
$36 57% $47
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Imperatriz
$52 21.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $288 in Imperatriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $32 in Imperatriz. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $176, with Imperatriz cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Imperatriz
🕒 Local time
16:48 4:48 PM
06:48 6:48 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
273,110
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 5.46 BRL (1 BRL = 0.183 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Imperatriz 16,240 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Imperatriz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Imperatriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Imperatriz cheaper than Phuket?
Imperatriz is about 34% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,281 in Imperatriz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Imperatriz?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $288 in Imperatriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $266 in Imperatriz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Imperatriz runs roughly 20% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Imperatriz?
At $854 in Imperatriz versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Imperatriz?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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