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 $820 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,327 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,833 in Montes Claros.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than in Montes Claros, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Montes Claros 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.45 R$17.75

27.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$31.28 R$161

3.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.03 R$36.13

27.03%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.90 R$9.78

52.63%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.24 R$6.36

-29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.79 R$4.04

-39.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.43 R$7.38

64.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.00 R$15.42

24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.07 R$5.51

74.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.67 R$8.59

-11.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.26 R$6.46

23.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.19 R$11.28

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.52 R$43.80

129.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.09 R$21.02

-16.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.25 R$42.40

37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.85 R$9.50

61.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.28 R$6.56

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.07 R$5.49

106.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.42 R$7.28

52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.03 R$5.30

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.07 R$5.51

25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.81 R$4.15

39.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.69 R$3.53

-20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.38 R$12.21

78.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.56 R$38.86

152.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.41 R$7.27

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.31 R$11.86

20.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.76 R$3.89

193.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$46.79 R$241

-51.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.23 R$6.35

146.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.87 R$4.46

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.84 R$45.45

-56.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.05 R$5.41

41.90%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$23.6K R$121.3K

12.66%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$32.2K R$165.7K

-16.12%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$67.3 R$346

52.19%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$11.99 R$61.7

-5.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$19.00 R$97.7

-8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$25.85 R$133

101.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$28.96 R$149

-61.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.12 R$41.78

-5.30%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$335 R$1,724

67.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$7,005 R$36.0K

64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$53.1 R$273

18.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$47.92 R$246

-38.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$93.9 R$483

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$69.8 R$359

26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$344 R$1,767

114.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$232 R$1,194

107.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$653 R$3,356

222.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$450 R$2,315

172.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,455 R$7,481

148.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,215 R$6,248

114.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$387 R$1,988

27.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.06

-49.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $344 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 28% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $184 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $820 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $344 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 106% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $335 in Montes Claros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $820 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 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.