Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Macaé Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Macaé

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $861 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,437 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,012 in Macaé.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than in Macaé, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Macaé 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.32 R$27.11

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$29.32 R$150

11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.82 R$34.77

30.50%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.65 R$8.41

69.70%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.29 R$6.56

-31.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.56 R$2.84

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.15 R$5.85

107.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.78 R$14.15

33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.94 R$4.78

90.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.51 R$7.71

-4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.31 R$6.68

20.61%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.87 R$9.53

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$8.71 R$44.41

128.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.30 R$16.84

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$9.00 R$45.89

25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.79 R$9.14

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.15 R$5.89

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$0.94 R$4.77

146.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.23 R$6.25

69.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.66 R$3.37

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.77 R$3.92

76.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.52 R$2.63

111.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.50 R$2.57

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.52 R$7.77

180.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$5.86 R$29.89

214.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.99 R$5.03

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.23 R$6.30

137.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.50 R$7.66

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$79.1 R$404

-71.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.33 R$6.77

127.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.71 R$3.65

50.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$7.95 R$40.54

-50.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.21 R$6.18

23.14%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$20.6K R$105.1K

31.65%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$30.2K R$153.9K

-9.01%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$97.1 R$495

5.85%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$9.78 R$49.90

12.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$18.75 R$95.6

-6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$38.63 R$197

38.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$29.33 R$150

-61.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.55 R$33.39

14.20%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$632 R$3,221

-11.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$6,807 R$34.7K

74.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$61.9 R$316

3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$31.21 R$159

-6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$64.1 R$327

49.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$45.46 R$232

98.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$361 R$1,839

102.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$236 R$1,203

111.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$869 R$4,434

140.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$647 R$3,302

86.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,227 R$6,260

192.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$776 R$3,955

223.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$780 R$3,976

-35.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.67

-47.80%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Macaé: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $361 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macaé pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $163 per month, with Macaé 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 Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Macaé differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $861 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Macaé. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $361 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $861 in Macaé – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Macaé versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé 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 Macaé 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 Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.