ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $787 in Porto Seguro.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,226 in Porto Seguro.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,666 in Porto Seguro.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 61% more expensive than Porto Seguro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Porto Seguro41% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66āļŋ150
$6.15R$30.59
-24.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44āļŋ1,496
$15.10R$75.0
207.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68āļŋ280
$6.74R$33.48
28.78%
Cappuccino
$2.95āļŋ95.0
$1.46R$7.28
102.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70āļŋ22.52
$1.12R$5.57
-37.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39āļŋ12.70
$0.65R$3.23
-40.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53āļŋ81.6
$1.64R$8.17
54.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78āļŋ122
$2.86R$14.20
32.17%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22āļŋ71.5
$1.25R$6.21
77.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80āļŋ57.8
$1.45R$7.21
24.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19āļŋ70.4
$1.18R$5.84
85.59%
Eggs
$2.31āļŋ74.5
$1.94R$9.66
19.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34āļŋ623
$8.29R$41.19
133.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77āļŋ121
$3.53R$17.56
6.80%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22āļŋ426
$7.36R$36.58
79.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33āļŋ107
$2.05R$10.20
62.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65āļŋ53.1
$1.29R$6.42
27.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29āļŋ73.7
$1.16R$5.75
97.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99āļŋ64.1
$1.46R$7.25
36.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53āļŋ49.24
$1.16R$5.76
31.90%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51āļŋ48.77
$1.06R$5.25
42.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03āļŋ33.12
$0.71R$3.51
45.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51āļŋ16.57
$1.45R$7.21
-64.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41āļŋ142
$2.07R$10.28
113.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41āļŋ625
$5.87R$29.16
230.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80āļŋ58.0
$1.22R$6.08
47.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68āļŋ86.4
$2.09R$10.37
28.23%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43āļŋ46.11
$0.92R$4.57
55.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70āļŋ377
$37.96R$189
-69.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04āļŋ97.9
$1.11R$5.51
173.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04āļŋ33.37
$0.70R$3.47
48.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68āļŋ441
$6.46R$32.09
111.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30āļŋ41.85
$1.16R$5.79
12.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9Kāļŋ898.9K
$20.8KR$103.5K
33.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0Kāļŋ1.1M
$27.6KR$137.1K
19.77%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123āļŋ3,962
$61.5R$306
99.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82āļŋ445
$13.56R$67.4
1.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86āļŋ608
$16.28R$80.9
15.85%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2āļŋ1,970
$22.77R$113
168.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81āļŋ541
$21.64R$108
-22.32%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87āļŋ286
$6.22R$30.93
42.60%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696āļŋ22.4K
$266R$1,323
161.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1Kāļŋ517.4K
$6,359R$31.6K
152.51%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3āļŋ1,910
$49.29R$245
20.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85āļŋ1,123
$42.81R$213
-18.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,646
$76.0R$378
48.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1āļŋ2,740
$65.2R$324
30.40%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615āļŋ19.8K
$315R$1,563
95.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448āļŋ14.4K
$213R$1,061
110.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085āļŋ67.2K
$509R$2,529
309.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496āļŋ48.2K
$433R$2,151
245.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734āļŋ120.3K
$1,694R$8,418
120.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662āļŋ85.8K
$1,190R$5,916
123.62%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534āļŋ17.2K
$331R$1,645
61.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.92
-51.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Porto Seguro: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $315 in Porto Seguro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Phuket pays 61% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $46 in Phuket vs $15 in Porto Seguro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $182 per month, with Porto Seguro 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 Porto Seguro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Porto Seguro cheaper than Phuket?
Porto Seguro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Porto Seguro?
Phuket pays 61% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Porto Seguro?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $315 in Porto Seguro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $266 in Porto Seguro. 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 Porto Seguro?
Supermarket bills run roughly 60% 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 Porto Seguro?
At $787 in Porto Seguro versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Porto Seguro but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Porto Seguro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Porto Seguro more family-friendly?
For families, Porto Seguro 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 Porto Seguro?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Porto Seguro 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 Porto Seguro gentler on the wallet â expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.