Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itajubá, MG Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itajubá, MG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $750 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,089 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,428 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Phuket is roughly 69% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Itajubá, MG 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.61 R$18.32

24.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$14.68 R$74.5

210.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.97 R$25.21

76.26%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$0.72 R$3.64

312.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.82 R$4.14

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.38 R$1.94

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.84 R$9.31

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.75 R$13.95

36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.92 R$4.68

133.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.50 R$7.61

21.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.92 R$4.68

136.96%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.93 R$9.80

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.91 R$40.14

152.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.08 R$15.64

17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.92 R$30.02

129.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.38 R$12.10

36.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.58 R$8.02

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.46 R$7.40

59.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.51 R$7.66

37.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.52 R$2.62

198.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.98 R$4.99

48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.26 R$1.31

276.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 R$2.90

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.99 R$10.11

118.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.76 R$39.37

139.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.26 R$6.37

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.46 R$7.38

81.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.94 R$4.75

51.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$38.08 R$193

-69.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.12 R$5.67

183.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.66 R$3.37

56.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.49 R$38.01

85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.99 R$5.05

35.35%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$15.0K R$76.2K

85.05%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.6K R$140.3K

20.76%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$104 R$529

18.04%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$12.22 R$62.0

12.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$16.36 R$83.0

12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$14.17 R$71.9

328.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.32 R$108

-19.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.31 R$32.01

40.57%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$541 R$2,745

27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$11.4K R$58.0K

38.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$45.31 R$230

30.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$41.31 R$210

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$75.3 R$382

53.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$60.7 R$308

38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$290 R$1,470

114.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$213 R$1,080

109.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$467 R$2,370

335.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$325 R$1,648

360.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$914 R$4,638

277.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$689 R$3,494

267.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$289 R$1,468

70.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.33

-52.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $290 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $163 per month, with Itajubá, MG cheaper across the board.

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

Phuket and Itajubá, MG differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $750 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $290 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $541 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $750 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 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.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Itajubá, MG are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.