😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $736 in Rio Branco.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,138 in Rio Branco.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,539 in Rio Branco.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 67% more expensive than Rio Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Rio Branco45% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$5.43R$27.09
-14.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$23.88R$119
96.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.64R$38.14
15.71%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.34R$11.69
28.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.23R$6.14
-39.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.63R$3.14
-41.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.76R$8.77
38.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$1.47R$7.32
145.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.36R$6.79
66.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.52R$7.59
21.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.19R$5.92
88.24%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.96R$9.78
18.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$8.28R$41.31
137.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.11R$20.51
-11.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$6.27R$31.27
108.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.16R$10.77
56.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.29R$6.46
27.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.19R$5.95
102.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.51R$7.51
34.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.19R$5.93
31.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.06R$5.28
41.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.75R$3.75
36.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.62R$3.09
-20.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.15R$10.75
106.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.02R$40.01
135.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.28R$6.37
39.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.06R$10.29
33.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.62R$3.07
125.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$38.80R$194
-70.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.10R$5.48
183.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.74R$3.71
35.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$6.58R$32.83
114.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.16R$5.79
16.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$20.5KR$102.5K
32.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$27.3KR$136.1K
20.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$59.7R$298
109.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$13.70R$68.4
-0.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$17.84R$89.1
3.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$18.27R$91.2
236.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$21.46R$107
-21.53%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$3.66R$18.28
151.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$144R$717
385.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$6,368R$31.8K
144.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$49.24R$246
17.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$41.50R$207
-15.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$76.9R$384
47.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$64.9R$324
33.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$320R$1,598
92.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$174R$868
156.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$492R$2,455
316.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$302R$1,509
393.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,291R$6,444
192.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,672R$8,344
58.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rio Branco
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$260R$1,297
101.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.92
-51.19%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Rio Branco: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $320 in Rio Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 102% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Rio Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $179 per month, with Rio Branco cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Rio Branco: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Rio Branco cheaper than Phuket?
Rio Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Rio Branco?
Phuket pays 102% 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 Rio Branco?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $320 in Rio Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $144 in Rio Branco. 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 Rio Branco?
Supermarket bills run roughly 63% 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 Rio Branco?
At $736 in Rio Branco versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio Branco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Rio Branco more family-friendly?
For families, Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.