Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itajai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itajai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $727 in Itajai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,172 in Itajai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,616 in Itajai, rent included.

Phuket costs about 74% more than Itajai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Itajai are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Itajai 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.39 R$21.98

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$32.03 R$160

41.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.36 R$31.81

32.55%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.02 R$10.12

45.05%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.12 R$5.62

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.63 R$3.16

-41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.22 R$11.09

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.63 R$13.14

41.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.78 R$3.90

185.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.20 R$6.02

52.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.76 R$3.79

185.53%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.85 R$9.24

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.16 R$40.83

141.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.50 R$12.52

45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.86 R$34.35

97.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.60 R$8.02

105.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.87 R$4.35

85.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.97 R$4.84

148.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.25 R$6.24

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.69 R$3.46

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.56 R$2.78

164.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.59 R$2.96

67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.48 R$2.41

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.20 R$11.02

100.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.83 R$39.17

147.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.80 R$4.00

122.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.61 R$8.05

68.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.91 R$4.58

50.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$38.88 R$195

-70.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.14 R$5.73

164.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.67 R$3.35

47.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.29 R$31.47

124.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.05 R$5.25

29.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.3K R$91.7K

53.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.2K R$130.9K

25.80%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$35.81 R$179

239.85%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$11.57 R$57.9

17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$17.95 R$89.8

2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$29.31 R$147

105.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.67 R$108

-20.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.46 R$32.32

34.52%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$285 R$1,428

143.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,593 R$33.0K

137.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$55.8 R$279

6.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$45.20 R$226

-23.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$83.6 R$418

37.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$59.5 R$298

39.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$313 R$1,568

95.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$216 R$1,082

102.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$584 R$2,920

258.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$427 R$2,136

253.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,128 R$10.6K

76.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,718 R$8,596

52.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$625 R$3,128

-18.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Itajai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $313 in Itajai. 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 23% higher in Itajai, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $32.00 in Itajai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $145 – making Itajai 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 Itajai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $727 in Itajai – roughly 74% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,090 in Itajai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $727 in Itajai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 241% less in Itajai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itajai, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Itajai 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 $727 in Itajai to $1,265 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 Itajai. 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.