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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $785 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,237 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,689 in Paulo Afonso, rent included.

Phuket costs about 57% more than Paulo Afonso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Paulo Afonso are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Paulo Afonso 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.33 R$26.58

-13.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.73 R$133

75.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.18 R$30.82

43.04%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.79 R$8.92

67.60%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.08 R$5.37

-31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.66 R$3.28

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.85 R$9.24

31.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.75 R$13.74

31.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.00 R$4.98

126.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.47 R$7.32

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.14 R$5.70

96.49%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.95 R$9.73

18.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.32 R$41.50

136.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.59 R$17.92

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.15 R$35.67

83.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.12 R$10.59

59.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.29 R$6.45

27.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.18 R$5.91

104.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.52 R$7.60

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.16 R$5.77

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.06 R$5.27

41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.75 R$3.75

36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.65 R$3.27

-24.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.07 R$10.32

114.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$7.78 R$38.85

142.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.23 R$6.13

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.06 R$10.27

33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.92 R$4.58

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$37.96 R$189

-69.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.11 R$5.54

181.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.70 R$3.51

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.36 R$31.75

121.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.08 R$5.38

25.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.3K R$101.5K

33.60%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.3K R$136.1K

20.74%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$59.5 R$297

110.05%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.59 R$67.8

-0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$19.17 R$95.7

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.11 R$110

178.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.68 R$108

-22.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.43 R$32.08

42.92%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$275 R$1,372

153.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,441 R$32.1K

142.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$49.23 R$246

17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$42.63 R$213

-17.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$77.2 R$385

46.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$65.6 R$327

31.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$317 R$1,581

94.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$214 R$1,067

108.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$578 R$2,883

254.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$426 R$2,124

250.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,686 R$8,413

124.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,176 R$5,870

125.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$244 R$1,220

114.25%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Paulo Afonso: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 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 114% 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: $292 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 57% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,178 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 $1,232 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 231% 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 $1,232. 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 $1,232 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.