Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mindelo

For one person, living is cheaper in Mindelo: $387 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Mindelo

🇨🇻 Cape Verde

$387

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Mindelo

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 Mindelo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $387 in Mindelo, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Mindelo $387

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $897 in Mindelo, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Mindelo $897

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,406 in Mindelo, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Mindelo $1,406

Phuket costs about 230% more than Mindelo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mindelo 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$8.83 CVE 874

-49.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$56.9 CVE 5,632

-43.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$1.11 CVE 110

154.95%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$1.26 CVE 124

-30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$1.03 CVE 102

-52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$2.73 CVE 271

-6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$1.49 CVE 148

146.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.44 CVE 142

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$1.10 CVE 109

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$0.79 CVE 78.6

89.87%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$2.52 CVE 250

-17.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$15.86 CVE 1,571

20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$17.60 CVE 1,743

-38.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$2.23 CVE 221

31.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.95 CVE 193

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.92 CVE 289

-22.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$2.99 CVE 296

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$0.77 CVE 76.3

96.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$1.64 CVE 162

-15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$1.04 CVE 103

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$0.71 CVE 70.3

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$5.04 CVE 499

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

$8.10 CVE 802

131.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.89 CVE 188

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

$2.05 CVE 203

38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.41 CVE 40.48

253.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

$30.74 CVE 3,044

84.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.51 CVE 149

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$1.48 CVE 146

-31.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$10.18 CVE 1,009

-63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$1.75 CVE 173

-16.00%

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

$3.01 CVE 299

256.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$361 CVE 35.8K

433.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$251 CVE 24.9K

469.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Mindelo

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Mindelo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Mindelo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mindelo

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Mindelo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Mindelo

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Mindelo

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $57 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $237 in Mindelo – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇻 Mindelo

🕒 Local time

08:20 8:20 AM

00:20 12:20 AM

8 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

70,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Cabo Verdean Escudo CVE $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 CVE = 10.1 USD

1,000 CVE = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CVE, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Cabo Verdean Escudo exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 99.04 CVE (100 CVE = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 110 CVE (1,000 CVE = 9.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Mindelo 13,210 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Mindelo

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 Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 230%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $581 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $387, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $387 in Mindelo to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.