Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jaboatão dos Guararapes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jaboatão dos Guararapes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,152 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,594 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

Phuket costs about 78% more than Jaboatão dos Guararapes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Jaboatão dos Guararapes are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Jaboatão dos Guararapes 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.72 R$28.61

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$28.36 R$142

59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.33 R$31.70

33.18%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.78 R$8.89

64.61%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.87 R$4.34

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.49 R$2.44

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.46 R$7.29

65.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.13 R$10.65

74.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.10 R$5.50

102.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.38 R$6.89

32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.06 R$5.30

104.72%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.84 R$9.23

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.04 R$35.25

180.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.56 R$17.81

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.60 R$38.03

78.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.22 R$11.10

47.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.94 R$4.70

71.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.93 R$4.63

159.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.16 R$5.82

79.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.29 R$6.46

18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.01 R$5.04

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.54 R$2.72

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.53 R$2.63

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.25 R$6.23

252.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.97 R$39.90

143.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.15 R$5.77

54.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.47 R$12.38

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.73 R$3.64

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$40.83 R$204

-72.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.11 R$5.55

172.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.62 R$3.13

59.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.56 R$17.81

296.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.10 R$5.51

23.64%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$16.4K R$82.1K

71.87%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.4K R$152.0K

8.30%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$43.78 R$219

177.98%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$15.32 R$76.7

-11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$16.48 R$82.5

11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.89 R$115

163.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.29 R$107

-19.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.87 R$34.40

26.49%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$118 R$589

489.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,359 R$31.8K

146.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.7 R$299

-0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$51.3 R$257

-32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.4 R$422

35.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$75.9 R$380

9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$317 R$1,585

93.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$166 R$833

162.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$576 R$2,881

263.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$311 R$1,555

385.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,610 R$8,056

132.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,086 R$5,437

140.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$267 R$1,336

90.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $317 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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 90% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $165 – making Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,065 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 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 $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 258% less in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Jaboatão dos Guararapes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jaboatão dos Guararapes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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.