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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $714 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,119 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,524 in Nova Iguacu.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Nova Iguacu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.96 R$15.01

51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$23.76 R$121

91.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.14 R$36.23

22.69%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.86 R$9.42

59.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.00 R$5.09

-31.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.50 R$2.51

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.58 R$8.01

60.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.37 R$6.93

173.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.08 R$5.50

99.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.29 R$6.53

41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.10 R$5.56

98.18%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.86 R$9.42

20.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.55 R$38.32

164.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.50 R$12.71

45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.51 R$33.06

108.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.29 R$6.54

151.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.24 R$6.29

32.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.88 R$4.47

164.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.53 R$7.76

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.88 R$4.45

76.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.87 R$4.41

67.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.37 R$1.88

164.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.37 R$1.88

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.75 R$8.87

148.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.71 R$28.97

225.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.93 R$4.71

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.29 R$6.56

105.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.30 R$6.58

9.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$45.91 R$233

-74.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.86 R$4.37

268.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.03 R$5.22

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$8.51 R$43.16

63.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.00 R$5.08

34.00%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$22.1K R$112.2K

25.74%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.7K R$145.5K

16.42%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$45.04 R$229

173.20%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$11.01 R$55.9

25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$18.98 R$96.3

-3.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$21.74 R$110

179.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.71 R$110

-20.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.53 R$28.05

60.40%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$67.9 R$345

913.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,752 R$8,890

800.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$53.6 R$272

10.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$34.11 R$173

1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$57.4 R$291

100.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$53.8 R$273

55.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$294 R$1,492

111.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$222 R$1,128

100.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$591 R$2,997

244.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$398 R$2,022

275.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$926 R$4,700

272.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$233 R$1,185

111.46%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $294 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 111% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $144 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 ($1,264 vs $714 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $294 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $714 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 297% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $714 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,264 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.