Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montes Claros Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montes Claros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $735 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,194 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,653 in Montes Claros.

Living in Phuket is roughly 68% more expensive than Montes Claros, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Montes Claros 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.18 R$15.89

45.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$27.16 R$136

72.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.35 R$31.69

39.21%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.78 R$8.89

68.54%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.11 R$5.55

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.66 R$3.28

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.29 R$6.46

89.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.73 R$13.61

32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.02 R$5.08

121.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.49 R$7.44

23.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.13 R$5.64

98.23%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.02 R$10.09

14.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.36 R$41.72

135.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.74 R$18.64

-2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.10 R$35.43

84.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.12 R$10.57

59.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.30 R$6.50

26.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.14 R$5.66

111.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.44 R$7.18

40.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.16 R$5.78

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.06 R$5.30

41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.73 R$3.67

39.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.62 R$3.10

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.15 R$10.71

106.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.03 R$40.06

135.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.23 R$6.14

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.98 R$9.88

38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.73 R$3.65

91.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$38.45 R$192

-70.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.06 R$5.29

194.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.75 R$3.73

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.29 R$31.38

124.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.99 R$4.92

36.36%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.6K R$102.9K

31.78%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.7K R$138.2K

18.90%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$59.8 R$298

109.17%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.63 R$68.0

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.09 R$90.3

2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$19.79 R$98.7

210.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$22.05 R$110

-23.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.34 R$31.61

44.95%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$273 R$1,362

155.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,581 R$32.8K

136.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$48.26 R$241

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$42.61 R$213

-17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$75.6 R$377

49.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$63.8 R$319

35.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$320 R$1,598

92.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$212 R$1,058

110.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$572 R$2,855

257.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$426 R$2,124

250.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,665 R$8,309

126.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,186 R$5,917

123.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$398 R$1,988

31.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $320 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $175 per month, with Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Montes Claros differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $735 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $320 in Montes Claros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montes Claros runs roughly 235% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $273 in Montes Claros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $735 in Montes Claros versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.