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 $973 in Itajai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,192 in Itajai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,410 in Itajai, rent included.

Phuket costs about 30% more than Itajai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Itajai are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Itajai 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.51 R$28.26

-15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$36.54 R$187

-11.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.90 R$45.64

-2.47%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.48 R$12.72

16.94%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.14 R$5.86

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.92 R$4.70

-46.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.76 R$14.16

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.96 R$15.17

26.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.01 R$5.19

87.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.58 R$8.08

-10.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.20 R$6.16

35.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.11 R$10.81

6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.51 R$48.75

108.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.45 R$22.84

-21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.53 R$38.58

51.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.73 R$8.85

67.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.95 R$4.85

81.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.79 R$4.07

187.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.33 R$6.84

60.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.86 R$4.40

70.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.60 R$3.09

136.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.77 R$3.92

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.76 R$3.90

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.89 R$14.80

49.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.01 R$41.06

132.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$0.82 R$4.19

119.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.77 R$9.07

67.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.90 R$4.59

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.29 R$6.62

140.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.76 R$3.92

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$5.94 R$30.44

-34.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.23 R$6.31

16.26%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.5K R$120.3K

18.38%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.6K R$167.0K

-17.19%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$99.6 R$510

5.27%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$14.90 R$76.4

-23.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$22.41 R$115

-21.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$30.88 R$158

75.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.71 R$39.52

0.91%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$275 R$1,410

109.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,976 R$25.5K

132.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$73.4 R$376

-13.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$71.6 R$367

-59.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$92.6 R$475

3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$75.6 R$388

19.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$481 R$2,467

52.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$357 R$1,831

40.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,389 R$7,120

53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,211 R$11.3K

59.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$616 R$3,159

-17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.63

-47.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Itajai: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $481 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 21% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $37.00 in Itajai. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $176 in Itajai – so Itajai 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 Itajai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $973 in Itajai – roughly 30% 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 $1,460 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 $973 in Itajai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $275 in Itajai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itajai, where all-in costs run around $973, 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 $973 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.