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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $815 in Passos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,317 in Passos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,819 in Passos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than in Passos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Passos 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$7.38 R$37.31

-38.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,565

$32.10 R$162

44.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$6.58 R$33.28

31.46%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$1.80 R$9.09

71.67%

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

$0.68 ฿22.89

$1.27 R$6.41

-46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.44

$0.77 R$3.88

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$1.83 R$9.26

32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿129

$2.72 R$13.75

40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$0.95 R$4.81

129.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$1.80 R$9.11

1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$1.18 R$5.99

84.75%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$2.32 R$11.71

-3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿673

$10.00 R$50.6

99.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$4.07 R$20.60

-10.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿458

$8.19 R$41.45

65.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.09 R$10.60

57.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.68 R$8.51

0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.8

$1.44 R$7.29

61.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.4

$1.75 R$8.84

16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.40 R$7.10

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.5

$1.39 R$7.05

7.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.17

$1.02 R$5.14

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.68 R$3.45

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$1.77 R$8.97

151.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿629

$7.97 R$40.32

133.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.3

$1.33 R$6.71

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.4

$2.00 R$10.12

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.90

$0.89 R$4.50

59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$37.84 R$191

-70.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.16 R$5.87

166.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.19

$0.58 R$2.92

79.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿460

$7.56 R$38.22

80.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.23

$1.03 R$5.22

27.18%

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

$27.3K ฿920.7K

$22.2K R$112.2K

22.93%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.7K R$145.2K

15.74%

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

$123 ฿4,157

$51.9 R$263

137.12%

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

$13.81 ฿466

$16.61 R$84.0

-16.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿625

$22.54 R$114

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,037

$22.26 R$113

171.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

$21.33 R$108

-21.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$7.13 R$36.04

24.68%

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

$687 ฿23.2K

$334 R$1,688

105.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.8K

$8,851 R$44.8K

75.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,945

$54.5 R$275

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,170

$57.0 R$288

-39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,879

$74.5 R$377

54.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,865

$75.1 R$380

12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$310 R$1,569

99.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿15.0K

$217 R$1,098

104.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.1K

$584 R$2,955

250.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$438 R$2,216

243.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

$1,632 R$8,253

118.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

$1,033 R$5,227

142.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

$418 R$2,114

20.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.17

-52.28%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Passos: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $310 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Passos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $197 per month, with Passos 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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Passos differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $815 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $310 in Passos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% 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 $32.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $815 in Passos versus $1,261 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 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.