Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paulo Afonso

For one person, living is cheaper in Paulo Afonso: $823 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Paulo Afonso, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Paulo Afonso
🇧🇷 Brazil
$823
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Paulo Afonso

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 Paulo Afonso actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $823 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Paulo Afonso $823

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,313 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Paulo Afonso $1,313

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,804 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Paulo Afonso $1,804

Phuket costs about 57% more than Paulo Afonso, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Paulo Afonso are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Paulo Afonso 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$5.61 R$30.77
-21.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$30.09 R$165
7.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$7.32 R$40.18
18.85%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$1.84 R$10.08
47.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$1.19 R$6.52
-21.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.71 R$3.87
-29.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$1.89 R$10.39
33.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$2.77 R$15.19
31.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$0.94 R$5.14
85.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.59 R$8.75
-8.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.16 R$6.38
29.31%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$2.06 R$11.32
5.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$8.75 R$48.03
118.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$3.95 R$21.70
-13.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$7.76 R$42.60
40.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$2.05 R$11.26
43.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.19 R$6.53
42.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$1.13 R$6.20
93.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$1.46 R$8.02
45.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.12 R$6.14
30.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$1.00 R$5.47
37.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$0.73 R$3.98
47.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.78 R$4.26
-29.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.27 R$12.47
95.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$7.31 R$40.09
149.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.17 R$6.43
51.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$1.99 R$10.90
44.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.98 R$5.36
47.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
$41.38 R$227
32.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.24 R$6.80
21.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$0.78 R$4.31
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$7.58 R$41.58
-49.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$1.16 R$6.38
28.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$22.2K R$121.9K
21.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$31.7K R$173.8K
-16.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$72.3 R$397
35.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$11.46 R$62.9
-1.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$19.41 R$107
-11.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$24.60 R$135
177.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$25.69 R$141
-57.49%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$6.59 R$36.19
12.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$263 R$1,442
101.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$6,731 R$36.9K
179.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$51.1 R$281
20.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$45.74 R$251
-38.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$84.7 R$465
13.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$66.1 R$363
31.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$338 R$1,853
113.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$230 R$1,262
121.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$629 R$3,452
209.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$457 R$2,510
205.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$1,562 R$8,571
168.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,155 R$6,340
185.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11
-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Paulo Afonso: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Paulo Afonso
$230 54.8% $279
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Paulo Afonso
$179 33% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Paulo Afonso
$103 18.3% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Paulo Afonso
$111 9.2% $11
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Paulo Afonso
$111 6.8% $8.1
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Paulo Afonso
$38 54.6% $45
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Paulo Afonso
$50 23.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $338 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $30 in Paulo Afonso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $179 – making Paulo Afonso the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Paulo Afonso
🕒 Local time
08:35 8:35 AM
22:35 10:35 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
112,870
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Paulo Afonso 15,250 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Paulo Afonso

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 Paulo Afonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Paulo Afonso?
Phuket costs about 57% more than Paulo Afonso, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Paulo Afonso?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,234 in Paulo Afonso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Paulo Afonso?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Paulo Afonso, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $338 there versus $721 in Phuket.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Paulo Afonso?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $823 in Paulo Afonso. That makes Paulo Afonso about 36% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Paulo Afonso?
Public transport costs about 25% less in Paulo Afonso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Phuket or in Paulo Afonso?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,294 in Phuket and $823 in Paulo Afonso. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Paulo Afonso – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Paulo Afonso is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 36% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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