Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mindelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mindelo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $416 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $958 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,501 in Mindelo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 204% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mindelo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$11.72 CVE 1,114

-59.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$58.3 CVE 5,536

-22.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.13 CVE 107

159.29%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.07 CVE 102

-35.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.04 CVE 98.8

-64.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.52 CVE 334

-31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.83 CVE 174

103.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.53 CVE 146

45.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.13 CVE 107

61.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.80 CVE 75.9

171.25%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.62 CVE 249

-15.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$16.25 CVE 1,545

21.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$17.56 CVE 1,669

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.19 CVE 208

49.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.97 CVE 188

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.90 CVE 276

-16.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.22 CVE 306

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.87 CVE 83.0

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.77 CVE 168

-16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.06 CVE 101

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.78 CVE 73.8

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.18 CVE 492

-14.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.40 CVE 799

130.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.02 CVE 192

-11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.10 CVE 200

29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.46 CVE 43.25

197.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$31.03 CVE 2,948

-63.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.58 CVE 150

91.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.39 CVE 133

-28.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.53 CVE 1,001

33.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.70 CVE 161

-20.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,978

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$3.18 CVE 302

438.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$368 CVE 35.0K

468.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$266 CVE 25.3K

466.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $243 in Mindelo – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 204%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $624 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 172% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $416, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mindelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mindelo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.