Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Joinville Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Joinville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $804 in Joinville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,315 in Joinville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,825 in Joinville, rent included.

Phuket costs about 52% more than Joinville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Joinville are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Joinville 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$7.28 R$37.02

-38.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$36.16 R$184

28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.33 R$32.22

34.12%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.46 R$7.43

110.96%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.00 R$5.08

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.65 R$3.33

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.71 R$13.80

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.41 R$12.28

50.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.86 R$4.37

154.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.30 R$6.62

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.83 R$4.21

168.67%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.40 R$12.22

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$7.00 R$35.60

180.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.14 R$15.96

18.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$8.08 R$41.12

66.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.38 R$7.01

143.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.12 R$5.70

44.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.19 R$6.03

102.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.44 R$7.33

38.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.11 R$5.63

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.93 R$4.74

55.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.03 R$5.22

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.70 R$3.56

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.80 R$14.26

52.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$9.14 R$46.50

109.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$0.99 R$5.04

85.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.97 R$15.12

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.98 R$4.97

44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$49.47 R$252

-76.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.75 R$8.92

71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.01 R$5.16

3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$8.63 R$43.92

61.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.04 R$5.30

24.04%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$24.3K R$123.6K

15.42%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$29.0K R$147.4K

15.68%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$53.1 R$270

129.89%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$12.74 R$64.8

9.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$20.48 R$104

-7.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$22.93 R$117

167.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$21.66 R$110

-22.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.69 R$39.15

15.60%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$271 R$1,378

155.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$5,666 R$28.8K

185.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$44.16 R$225

30.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$72.5 R$369

-51.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$81.8 R$416

38.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$59.7 R$304

38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$268 R$1,364

126.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$205 R$1,041

118.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$566 R$2,878

258.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$405 R$2,060

268.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,917 R$9,755

86.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,295 R$6,590

99.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$694 R$3,530

-27.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.2

-47.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Joinville: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $268 in Joinville. 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 37% higher in Joinville, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Joinville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $168 – making Joinville 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 Joinville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 52% more than Joinville, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,206 in Joinville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Joinville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $36.00 in Joinville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Joinville, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Joinville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Joinville costs $804 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Joinville. 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.