Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itapema Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itapema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $782 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,222 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,662 in Itapema.

Living in Phuket is roughly 56% more expensive than in Itapema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Itapema 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$5.47 R$28.24

-17.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$27.60 R$142

68.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$6.31 R$32.58

34.55%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.79 R$9.25

72.07%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$1.12 R$5.78

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.66 R$3.40

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.78 R$9.17

36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.73 R$14.10

32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$0.96 R$4.95

128.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.44 R$7.43

25.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.14 R$5.90

95.61%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.92 R$9.93

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$8.33 R$43.00

135.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.66 R$18.91

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$7.26 R$37.49

85.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.13 R$10.98

57.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.25 R$6.47

29.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.14 R$5.88

111.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.52 R$7.86

30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.16 R$5.97

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.09 R$5.61

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.71 R$3.66

42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.61 R$3.17

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.11 R$10.87

102.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$7.52 R$38.79

154.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.22 R$6.31

50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.08 R$10.75

31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.87 R$4.50

63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

$38.07 R$197

-69.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.10 R$5.69

172.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.75 R$3.88

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$6.25 R$32.24

122.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.09 R$5.62

18.35%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$20.7K R$106.9K

35.34%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$27.2K R$140.3K

23.22%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$60.5 R$312

101.75%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$13.39 R$69.1

4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$18.72 R$96.6

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$22.30 R$115

174.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$21.45 R$111

-21.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$6.29 R$32.46

41.34%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$285 R$1,469

142.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$6,368 R$32.9K

153.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$47.56 R$245

21.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$42.38 R$219

-16.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$76.5 R$395

48.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$63.3 R$327

31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$321 R$1,657

88.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$214 R$1,102

109.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$584 R$3,014

247.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$431 R$2,225

246.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$1,484 R$7,657

141.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$1,011 R$5,217

155.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Itapema: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $321 in Itapema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Itapema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $173 per month, with Itapema 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 Itapema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itapema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,173 in Itapema 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $321 in Itapema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $782 in Itapema – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 225% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $782 in Itapema versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Itapema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Itapema 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 Itapema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.