Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manaus Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manaus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $886 in Manaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,399 in Manaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,913 in Manaus.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Manaus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Manaus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.70 R$29.39

-22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$27.35 R$141

17.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.69 R$34.46

33.48%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.28 R$11.73

27.19%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.05 R$5.43

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.78 R$4.04

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.68 R$13.78

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.28 R$27.21

-29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.38 R$7.12

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.55 R$7.98

-5.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.26 R$6.49

23.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.59 R$13.32

-18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.71 R$50.0

101.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.81 R$19.65

-10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.03 R$36.23

61.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.33 R$12.00

27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.63 R$8.40

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.42 R$7.31

55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.97 R$10.14

9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.21 R$6.24

25.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.20 R$6.18

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.74 R$3.80

52.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.63 R$3.25

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.61 R$18.61

18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.78 R$45.22

117.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.41 R$7.27

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.63 R$8.40

70.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.87 R$4.50

156.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$38.18 R$197

-40.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.95 R$4.88

218.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.84 R$4.34

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.58 R$49.37

-59.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.32 R$6.81

12.88%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$23.2K R$119.5K

14.63%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$32.0K R$164.8K

-15.49%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$115 R$591

-10.72%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$15.37 R$79.2

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$24.52 R$126

-29.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$25.29 R$130

105.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$24.22 R$125

-54.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.20 R$31.97

24.03%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$219 R$1,127

156.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,047 R$26.0K

127.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$49.48 R$255

27.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$31.09 R$160

-5.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$58.4 R$301

67.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$69.0 R$356

28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$620 R$3,196

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$210 R$1,081

129.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$924 R$4,762

127.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$477 R$2,459

156.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,700 R$8,756

112.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,293 R$6,662

101.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$517 R$2,663

-4.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.33

-46.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Manaus: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $620 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manaus pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Manaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $195 per month, with Manaus 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 Manaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Manaus. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $620 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $886 in Manaus versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manaus 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 Manaus 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 Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.