Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nova Iguacu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nova Iguacu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $695 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,099 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,504 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 77% more expensive than Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Nova Iguacu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.93 R$14.63

58.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$23.00 R$115

103.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.25 R$36.18

21.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.88 R$9.37

59.57%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.01 R$5.02

-26.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.53 R$2.63

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.58 R$7.91

54.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.33 R$6.62

171.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.10 R$5.48

105.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.28 R$6.39

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.11 R$5.54

101.80%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.92 R$9.58

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.70 R$38.44

155.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.52 R$12.59

44.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.68 R$33.33

96.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.27 R$6.34

166.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.28 R$6.41

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.86 R$4.28

180.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.58 R$7.90

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.93 R$4.66

67.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.94 R$4.68

59.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.37 R$1.85

175.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.38 R$1.88

28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.70 R$8.48

161.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.16 R$30.73

206.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.93 R$4.66

91.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.27 R$6.36

116.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.29 R$6.46

8.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$45.37 R$226

-74.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.87 R$4.32

258.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.07 R$5.33

-6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.81 R$43.97

59.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.02 R$5.07

32.35%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.6K R$112.9K

20.15%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.0K R$144.5K

13.68%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$46.06 R$230

171.34%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.93 R$54.5

24.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.66 R$93.1

-0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$21.94 R$109

180.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.85 R$109

-22.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.35 R$26.71

71.78%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$67.9 R$339

928.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$1,709 R$8,527

812.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$53.3 R$266

8.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$34.02 R$170

3.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$57.5 R$287

96.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$53.1 R$265

62.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$302 R$1,508

103.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$229 R$1,144

94.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$587 R$2,927

249.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$409 R$2,041

264.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,659 R$8,278

127.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,214 R$6,057

118.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$243 R$1,215

115.14%

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 Nova Iguacu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $302 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 115% 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 $23.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $147 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Nova Iguacu differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $695 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 115% 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 $302 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $695 in Nova Iguacu – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 295% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $695 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.