Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maceio - Alagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maceio - Alagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $833 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,268 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,703 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 52% more expensive than Maceio - Alagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Maceio - Alagoas 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.76 R$23.82

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$21.77 R$109

108.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.38 R$26.92

56.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.87 R$9.36

56.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.96 R$4.81

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.45 R$2.27

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.46 R$7.30

65.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.68 R$13.41

38.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.07 R$5.37

108.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.30 R$6.49

40.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.92 R$4.60

135.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.28 R$11.42

-3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.48 R$32.45

204.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.25 R$16.26

11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.24 R$36.22

86.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.43 R$12.15

34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.07 R$5.36

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.28 R$6.41

88.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.24 R$6.23

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.32 R$6.63

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.18 R$5.90

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.58 R$2.90

70.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.61 R$3.03

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.89 R$9.47

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.15 R$35.77

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.44 R$7.20

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.30 R$6.49

108.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.70 R$3.50

95.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$39.27 R$197

-71.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.38 R$1.88

694.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.32 R$1.62

209.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.18 R$30.95

128.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.05 R$5.24

29.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$24.8K R$124.2K

13.62%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.4K R$147.3K

11.76%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$72.6 R$363

67.68%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$17.54 R$87.8

-22.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$15.20 R$76.0

20.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.96 R$115

162.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.76 R$109

-21.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.46 R$27.31

59.16%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$231 R$1,156

200.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,795 R$24.0K

227.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.12 R$246

21.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$68.0 R$340

-48.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$89.3 R$447

28.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$72.8 R$364

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$247 R$1,238

147.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$256 R$1,282

70.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$534 R$2,674

291.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$421 R$2,108

258.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,516 R$7,586

147.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$688 R$3,443

280.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$588 R$2,942

-13.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.5

-43.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $247 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maceio - Alagoas pays 16% 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 $22.00 in Maceio - Alagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $164 per month, with Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maceio - Alagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Maceio - Alagoas earns 16% 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 $247 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $833 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maceio - Alagoas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Maceio - Alagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.