Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itajubá, MG

For one person, living is cheaper in Itajubá, MG: $865 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Itajubá, MG, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Itajubá, MG
🇧🇷 Brazil
$865
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Itajubá, MG

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 Itajubá, MG actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $865 in Itajubá, MG.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Itajubá, MG $865

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,275 in Itajubá, MG.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Itajubá, MG $1,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,685 in Itajubá, MG.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Itajubá, MG $1,685

Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Itajubá, MG 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.51 R$24.54
-0.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$23.39 R$127
38.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$4.58 R$24.94
92.36%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.23 R$6.70
130.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$1.15 R$6.23
-24.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.64 R$3.51
-23.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.82 R$9.90
40.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.01 R$16.37
22.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.03 R$5.59
61.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$1.61 R$8.74
-9.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.96 R$5.20
56.25%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.24 R$12.20
-6.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$10.71 R$58.3
78.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$3.63 R$19.77
-9.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$7.46 R$40.56
46.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.86 R$15.55
2.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.56 R$8.51
8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.03 R$5.62
118.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.85 R$10.06
12.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.06 R$5.79
42.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.05 R$5.74
31.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.67 R$3.64
59.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.64 R$3.50
-18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.01 R$16.37
39.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.95 R$43.26
136.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.17 R$6.38
55.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$1.62 R$8.81
75.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.98 R$5.32
47.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$44.56 R$242
27.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.20 R$6.53
151.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.89 R$4.86
14.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$8.93 R$48.59
-58.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.11 R$6.06
32.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$23.2K R$125.9K
15.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$33.3K R$181.2K
-19.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$131 R$711
-26.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$10.89 R$59.2
3.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$18.75 R$102
-10.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$15.47 R$84.1
334.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$27.22 R$148
-60.58%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$7.92 R$43.06
-5.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$586 R$3,186
-18.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$13.2K R$71.9K
-14.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$41.57 R$226
50.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$48.41 R$263
-41.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$73.4 R$399
28.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$66.8 R$363
28.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$350 R$1,905
104.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$239 R$1,302
105.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$525 R$2,858
266.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$357 R$1,941
300.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,670 R$9,083
150.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$1,165 R$6,336
161.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Itajubá, MG
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$298 R$1,620
68.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.93
-53.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Itajubá, MG
$239 51.3% $252
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Itajubá, MG
$190 28.8% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Itajubá, MG
$160 28.9% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Itajubá, MG
$104 15% $18
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Itajubá, MG
$87 28.6% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Itajubá, MG
$31 61.9% $51
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Itajubá, MG
$54 23.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $350 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 69% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $23 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $190 per month, with Itajubá, MG cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Itajubá, MG
🕒 Local time
06:59 6:59 AM
20:59 8:59 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
93,073
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.165 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Itajubá, MG 15,830 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Itajubá, MG

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 Itajubá, MG: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Itajubá, MG?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $865 in Itajubá, MG, so Itajubá, MG is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Itajubá, MG?
Average pay runs 69% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Itajubá, MG?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $350 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Itajubá, MG?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $586 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $865 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Itajubá, MG?
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.
Is Phuket or Itajubá, MG safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Itajubá, MG are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Itajubá, MG?
Expats usually find Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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