Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paulo Afonso Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paulo Afonso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $785 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,248 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,711 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

Phuket costs about 61% more than Paulo Afonso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Paulo Afonso are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Paulo Afonso 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.25 R$26.60

-13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$26.74 R$135

74.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.34 R$32.12

33.60%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.75 R$8.84

73.14%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.12 R$5.65

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.63 R$3.18

-41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.84 R$9.30

35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.74 R$13.88

33.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.99 R$5.03

120.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.50 R$7.58

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.14 R$5.78

92.98%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.03 R$10.26

9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.10 R$41.01

146.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.65 R$18.50

0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.11 R$36.01

86.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.14 R$10.84

50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.25 R$6.31

36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.19 R$6.04

100.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.51 R$7.64

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.16 R$5.87

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.09 R$5.54

35.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.68 R$3.47

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.63 R$3.18

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.12 R$10.71

100.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.82 R$39.57

140.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.25 R$6.35

40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.04 R$10.33

35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.89 R$4.49

52.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$37.75 R$191

-69.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.10 R$5.59

185.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.70 R$3.55

48.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.56 R$33.19

109.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.07 R$5.42

25.23%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.1K R$106.6K

31.40%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K R$141.3K

21.36%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.5 R$301

107.71%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.32 R$67.5

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$18.67 R$94.5

0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.79 R$115

171.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.96 R$111

-21.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.32 R$32.00

44.62%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$270 R$1,368

159.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,493 R$32.9K

144.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$49.90 R$253

19.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.57 R$216

-17.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$76.1 R$385

51.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$63.8 R$323

31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$317 R$1,606

95.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$216 R$1,095

99.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$578 R$2,928

256.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$436 R$2,210

246.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,624 R$8,221

124.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,172 R$5,931

124.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$227 R$1,149

123.35%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Paulo Afonso: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $317 in Paulo Afonso. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 123% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Paulo Afonso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $174 – making Paulo Afonso the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Paulo Afonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 61% more than Paulo Afonso, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,177 in Paulo Afonso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paulo Afonso, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $785 in Paulo Afonso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 232% less in Paulo Afonso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paulo Afonso, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Paulo Afonso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paulo Afonso costs $785 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Paulo Afonso. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.