Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Minas

For one person, living is cheaper in Minas: $1,065 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Phuket, Thailand
Minas, Uruguay
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Minas
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,065
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Minas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Minas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $1,065 in Minas, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Minas $1,065

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,730 in Minas, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Minas $1,730

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $2,395 in Minas, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Minas $2,395

Phuket costs about 21% more than Minas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Phuket and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Minas 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$15.50 UYU 624
-71.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,078
$68.2 UYU 2,744
-52.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿290
$14.93 UYU 601
-41.73%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿90.9
$4.35 UYU 175
-37.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.06
$2.51 UYU 101
-62.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.67
$1.87 UYU 75.2
-73.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.5
$4.88 UYU 196
-48.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$3.66 UYU 148
-0.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.29 UYU 52.0
34.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$2.94 UYU 118
-50.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.1
$1.72 UYU 69.1
-12.79%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.5
$4.62 UYU 186
-53.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿637
$13.93 UYU 561
37.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿113
$11.34 UYU 457
-70.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$12.19 UYU 491
-10.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.2
$2.87 UYU 116
2.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.5
$2.80 UYU 113
-39.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.2
$1.69 UYU 68.0
29.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿70.9
$3.19 UYU 129
-33.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.68
$1.95 UYU 78.5
-25.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.66
$2.21 UYU 88.8
-38.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.91
$1.41 UYU 56.6
-23.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.21
$1.95 UYU 78.3
-71.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$5.35 UYU 215
-17.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿609
$8.26 UYU 333
120.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.2
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-21.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.2
$2.69 UYU 108
7.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Minas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$0.77 UYU 30.99
88.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,832
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.5
$1.82 UYU 73.3
-17.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.90
$1.05 UYU 42.46
-25.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$12.74 UYU 513
-69.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.65
$2.22 UYU 89.3
-32.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿897.3K
$26.4K UYU 1.1M
1.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.4K
$35.7K UYU 1.4M
-26.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,265
$181 UYU 7,267
-45.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿377
$21.03 UYU 847
-46.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿574
$42.55 UYU 1,713
-59.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,281
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$12.43 UYU 500
-40.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$619 UYU 24.9K
-14.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿626.9K
$11.4K UYU 457.7K
65.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,059
$101 UYU 4,069
-38.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿943
$55.4 UYU 2,230
-49.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,204
$125 UYU 5,015
-22.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,898
$134 UYU 5,411
-35.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Minas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿139.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Minas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.65
-1.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Minas: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Minas
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Minas
$329 23.3% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Minas
$244 93.3% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Minas
$187 52.3% $64
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Minas
$270 126% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Minas
$25 * 70.1% $58
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Minas
$10 * 84.6% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $68 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $329 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇾 Minas
🕒 Local time
10:15 10:15 AM
00:15 12:15 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
38,446
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 40.26 UYU (100 UYU = 2.48 USD). 1 EUR = 45.19 UYU (100 UYU = 2.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Minas 16,020 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Minas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Minas compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Phuket, $1,065 in Minas – Minas comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Minas?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,598 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Minas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $1,065 in Minas. That makes Minas about 18% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Minas?
Kindergarten costs $530 per month in Phuket and $619 in Minas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $2,000 go in Phuket compared to Minas?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,294 in Phuket and $1,065 in Minas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Minas?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,065 in Minas to $1,294 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Minas safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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