Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Passos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Passos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $930 in Passos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,480 in Passos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,030 in Passos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Passos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Passos 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.20 R$47.14

-50.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$33.59 R$172

-2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.34 R$42.72

6.71%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.14 R$10.95

30.84%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.27 R$6.48

-30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.91 R$4.65

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.33 R$11.94

2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.56 R$18.27

4.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.07 R$5.47

67.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$2.01 R$10.31

-28.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.34 R$6.88

17.91%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.65 R$13.57

-19.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$11.22 R$57.5

77.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.92 R$25.22

-30.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.24 R$52.5

10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.30 R$11.79

28.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.78 R$9.11

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.54 R$7.91

50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.42 R$7.29

46.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.28 R$6.54

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.17 R$5.99

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.91 R$4.65

20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.81 R$4.17

-29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.37 R$12.13

80.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$7.85 R$40.20

134.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.50 R$7.71

24.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.45 R$12.53

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.82 R$4.21

170.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$48.51 R$249

-52.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.13 R$5.77

168.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.75 R$3.85

42.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$8.44 R$43.23

-53.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.23 R$6.29

21.14%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$22.8K R$116.6K

19.19%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$30.8K R$158.0K

-10.98%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$63.6 R$326

61.58%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$15.58 R$79.8

-29.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$22.39 R$115

-21.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$24.71 R$127

116.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$23.29 R$119

-51.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.66 R$39.27

-2.35%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$420 R$2,152

32.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$9,757 R$50.0K

21.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$64.0 R$328

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$54.6 R$280

-46.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$92.9 R$476

3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$83.4 R$428

8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$337 R$1,726

116.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$230 R$1,177

117.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$635 R$3,253

229.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$443 R$2,269

173.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,849 R$9,472

94.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,161 R$5,951

116.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$402 R$2,062

25.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.81

-48.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Passos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $337 in Passos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 25% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Passos. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $219, with Passos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Passos differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $930 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $337 in Passos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Passos – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $930 in Passos versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Passos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Passos 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 Passos 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 Passos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.