😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $787 in Porto Seguro.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,240 in Porto Seguro.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,694 in Porto Seguro.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 61% more expensive than Porto Seguro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Porto Seguro41% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$6.24R$32.16
-24.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$15.59R$80.3
191.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$6.64R$34.20
26.96%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$1.41R$7.24
107.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$1.08R$5.54
-36.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.61R$3.16
-39.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.59R$8.20
51.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.94R$15.13
26.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$1.28R$6.61
74.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$1.52R$7.84
20.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.18R$6.09
83.90%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$1.93R$9.97
14.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$8.01R$41.24
146.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$3.75R$19.30
-3.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$7.34R$37.79
84.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$2.07R$10.68
58.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.27R$6.52
26.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.19R$6.12
102.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$1.52R$7.84
36.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.15R$5.92
33.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$1.09R$5.62
35.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$0.69R$3.56
43.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.47R$7.59
-65.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$2.18R$11.22
102.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$5.86R$30.18
230.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.21R$6.23
47.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$2.06R$10.62
31.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$0.92R$4.75
48.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$38.32R$197
-70.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$1.09R$5.63
177.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$0.71R$3.64
39.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$6.24R$32.12
125.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$1.23R$6.35
10.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$21.1KR$108.6K
33.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$27.6KR$142.2K
19.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$61.7R$318
97.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$13.72R$70.7
-1.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$16.45R$84.7
11.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$22.23R$115
170.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$21.81R$112
-21.41%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$6.21R$31.98
39.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$276R$1,420
151.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$6,587R$33.9K
138.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$48.17R$248
23.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$42.76R$220
-18.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$75.3R$388
52.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$64.0R$329
30.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$321R$1,655
90.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$217R$1,120
101.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$522R$2,691
300.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$425R$2,190
255.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$1,568R$8,077
139.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$1,173R$6,043
122.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Porto Seguro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$325R$1,676
56.14%
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 2, 2026
Last update for Porto Seguro: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $321 in Porto Seguro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Porto Seguro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $184 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 56% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $321 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 $693 in Phuket versus $276 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 $1,265 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 – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.