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 $409 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $936 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,464 in Mindelo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 210% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mindelo 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$9.12 CVE 866

-48.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$57.5 CVE 5,459

-43.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.14 CVE 108

154.39%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.28 CVE 122

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.08 CVE 102

-54.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.78 CVE 264

-10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.55 CVE 147

140.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.50 CVE 143

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.18 CVE 112

19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.86 CVE 81.2

88.37%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.74 CVE 261

-18.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$16.40 CVE 1,557

20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$17.57 CVE 1,669

-35.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.23 CVE 212

30.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.03 CVE 193

-15.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.88 CVE 273

-21.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.09 CVE 294

-31.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.87 CVE 83.1

68.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.70 CVE 162

-16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.08 CVE 103

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.74 CVE 70.4

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.26 CVE 499

-18.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.35 CVE 793

122.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.94 CVE 184

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.14 CVE 203

38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.45 CVE 42.85

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$31.10 CVE 2,954

-24.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.59 CVE 151

94.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.62 CVE 154

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$10.40 CVE 988

-62.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.73 CVE 165

-17.34%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$105 ฿3,462

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

$11.39 ฿376

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$3.23 CVE 307

254.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$364 CVE 34.5K

484.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$266 CVE 25.2K

371.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $57.0 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $275 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 210%, 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 $613 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 32% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $409, 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.