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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $829 in Passos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,348 in Passos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,868 in Passos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 53% more expensive than Passos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Passos 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.40 R$38.11

-36.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$32.82 R$169

38.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$6.96 R$35.85

21.12%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$1.81 R$9.33

61.88%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$1.22 R$6.30

-43.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.82 R$4.22

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.78 R$9.15

35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.85 R$14.68

30.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.01 R$5.18

120.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.75 R$9.00

4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.19 R$6.13

82.35%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.33 R$11.98

-5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$9.92 R$51.1

98.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.16 R$21.45

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$8.43 R$43.44

60.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$2.17 R$11.18

51.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.66 R$8.56

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.39 R$7.15

73.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.65 R$8.50

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.41 R$7.26

8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.39 R$7.18

6.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$0.93 R$4.81

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$0.67 R$3.45

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$1.84 R$9.47

139.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$8.28 R$42.63

134.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.37 R$7.05

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.09 R$10.76

29.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$0.87 R$4.49

57.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$37.80 R$195

-69.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$1.16 R$5.97

160.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$0.58 R$2.97

70.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$7.71 R$39.70

82.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.08 R$5.54

25.93%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$22.8K R$117.6K

23.51%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K R$144.0K

17.72%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$51.9 R$268

134.35%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$16.03 R$82.6

-15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$21.93 R$113

-16.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$22.28 R$115

170.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$21.95 R$113

-21.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$7.23 R$37.26

20.19%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$333 R$1,716

108.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$8,958 R$46.1K

75.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$55.3 R$285

7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$57.4 R$296

-39.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$75.0 R$386

52.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$77.0 R$396

8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$315 R$1,624

94.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$220 R$1,135

98.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$578 R$2,978

262.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$428 R$2,206

252.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$1,599 R$8,235

134.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,071 R$5,518

144.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$409 R$2,107

24.23%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Passos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $315 in Passos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 24% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Passos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $198 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $829 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 24% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $315 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 $33.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $829 in Passos versus $1,265 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 53% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.