😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $674 in Ponta Grossa.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,044 in Ponta Grossa.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,415 in Ponta Grossa.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 88% more expensive than Ponta Grossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Ponta Grossa50% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$4.38R$22.15
7.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$18.00R$91.1
152.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$6.16R$31.18
36.85%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$1.28R$6.47
128.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$1.01R$5.13
-31.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$0.52R$2.63
-28.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.24R$6.29
94.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.37R$11.98
56.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$0.81R$4.11
175.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.10R$5.59
66.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$0.76R$3.84
185.53%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.40R$12.13
-7.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$5.83R$29.48
238.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$3.06R$15.48
18.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$5.43R$27.46
149.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.37R$6.92
139.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$0.95R$4.83
69.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$0.97R$4.89
148.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.42R$7.17
46.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$0.74R$3.72
106.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$0.73R$3.71
102.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$0.53R$2.67
86.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.68R$3.43
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.32R$11.72
90.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$4.69R$23.72
313.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.05R$5.29
69.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.03R$10.25
33.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$0.76R$3.82
80.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$29.36R$149
-61.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$1.49R$7.54
102.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$0.65R$3.29
52.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$5.27R$26.67
167.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.03R$5.22
32.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$11.9KR$60.1K
137.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$27.0KR$136.4K
22.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$34.80R$176
249.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$7.89R$39.90
71.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$17.97R$90.9
1.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$35.42R$179
70.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$15.19R$76.9
12.84%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$7.48R$37.87
16.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$140R$710
394.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$5,125R$25.9K
206.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$40.52R$205
46.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$30.12R$152
15.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$72.1R$365
58.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$49.34R$250
68.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$329R$1,665
86.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$218R$1,103
100.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$476R$2,410
339.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$399R$2,019
278.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$905R$4,577
314.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$612R$3,094
327.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ponta Grossa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$519R$2,624
-2.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.5
-18.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Ponta Grossa: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $329 in Ponta Grossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ponta Grossa pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Ponta Grossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $137 per month, with Ponta Grossa 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 Ponta Grossa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ponta Grossa cheaper than Phuket?
Ponta Grossa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Ponta Grossa?
On paper, Ponta Grossa earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Ponta Grossa?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $329 in Ponta Grossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $140 in Ponta Grossa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Ponta Grossa?
Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Ponta Grossa?
At $674 in Ponta Grossa versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ponta Grossa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ponta Grossa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ponta Grossa more family-friendly?
For families, Ponta Grossa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ponta Grossa?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ponta Grossa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ponta Grossa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.