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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $836 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,343 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,851 in Macaé.

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than Macaé, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Macaé 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.64 R$28.57

-16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$34.48 R$175

31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.42 R$32.52

31.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.89 R$9.55

55.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.22 R$6.19

-43.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.84 R$4.27

-55.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.82 R$9.20

32.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.12 R$10.76

75.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.05 R$5.33

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.64 R$8.31

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.29 R$6.53

68.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.01 R$10.17

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.75 R$39.22

154.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.65 R$18.48

-0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.31 R$31.97

114.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.43 R$12.30

34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.23 R$6.25

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.15 R$5.84

109.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.38 R$7.01

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.11 R$5.61

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.11 R$5.63

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.68 R$3.46

45.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.46 R$2.34

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.99 R$10.08

121.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.03 R$30.56

221.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.86 R$4.34

106.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.15 R$5.84

135.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.69 R$3.51

98.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$74.7 R$378

-84.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.11 R$5.64

172.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.69 R$3.51

43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.77 R$39.34

81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.07 R$5.40

27.10%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.4K R$93.0K

53.60%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.6K R$139.8K

19.19%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$59.7 R$302

103.89%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.69 R$49.05

40.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.73 R$94.8

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$38.82 R$197

55.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$27.30 R$138

-37.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.26 R$31.69

38.82%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$535 R$2,710

29.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,559 R$33.2K

139.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.28 R$229

31.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$29.29 R$148

18.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$72.2 R$365

58.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$60.8 R$308

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$353 R$1,789

73.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$230 R$1,163

90.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$660 R$3,343

217.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$502 R$2,541

200.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,243 R$6,293

201.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$784 R$3,972

233.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$780 R$3,948

-34.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.25

-52.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $353 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macaé pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $164 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $836 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Macaé earns 53% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $353 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 $34.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $836 in Macaé – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Macaé versus $1,265 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 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.