Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Passos

For one person, living is cheaper in Passos: $956 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Passos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$956
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Passos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Passos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $956 in Passos.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Passos $956

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,537 in Passos.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Passos $1,537

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,119 in Passos.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Passos $2,119

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in Passos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Passos 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$10.06 R$51.0
-56.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$35.57 R$180
-9.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$8.86 R$44.91
-1.13%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$2.28 R$11.54
24.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$1.34 R$6.80
-32.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$0.95 R$4.80
-50.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.44 R$12.39
4.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$4.05 R$20.51
-5.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.06 R$5.40
63.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$2.05 R$10.40
-28.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.37 R$6.95
10.22%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.61 R$13.22
-16.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$10.74 R$54.4
83.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$4.97 R$25.18
-32.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$10.75 R$54.5
3.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$2.34 R$11.87
21.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.66 R$8.42
2.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.53 R$7.76
43.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$1.37 R$6.94
49.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.30 R$6.60
11.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.24 R$6.29
11.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$0.99 R$5.01
8.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.85 R$4.31
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$2.43 R$12.34
75.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$8.08 R$40.96
129.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.56 R$7.89
14.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$2.51 R$12.74
13.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Passos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.00 R$5.05
126.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$43.39 R$220
-49.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.17 R$5.93
157.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$0.72 R$3.66
47.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$8.38 R$42.46
-53.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.28 R$6.48
13.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$24.0K R$121.6K
9.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$32.0K R$162.0K
-15.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$67.4 R$342
42.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$15.00 R$76.1
-26.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$22.66 R$115
-24.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$25.76 R$131
102.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$27.49 R$139
-59.40%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$8.17 R$41.40
-4.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$443 R$2,246
25.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$10.8K R$54.8K
7.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$64.4 R$326
-0.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$57.0 R$289
-49.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$88.5 R$449
7.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$79.4 R$402
10.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Passos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$354 R$1,797
108.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$242 R$1,225
91.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$687 R$3,485
204.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$475 R$2,410
152.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$1,693 R$8,582
106.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$1,181 R$5,984
113.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Passos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$419 R$2,122
19.60%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Passos: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Passos
$242 47.7% $221
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Passos
$221 17.9% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Passos
$105 15.6% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Passos
$130 4.7% $5.9
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Passos
$164 35.2% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Passos
$42 37.9% $26
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Passos
$52 32.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $354 in Passos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 20% 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 $36.00 in Passos. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $221, with Passos cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Passos
🕒 Local time
11:35 11:35 AM
01:35 1:35 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
111,939
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Passos 16,000 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Passos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Passos?
Phuket and Passos differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,208 vs $956 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Passos?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Passos?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $354 in Passos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Passos – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $956 in Passos versus $1,208 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.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Passos?
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.
Is Phuket or Passos safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Passos?
Expats usually find Passos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?