Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $819 in Rio Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,288 in Rio Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,757 in Rio Branco.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than in Rio Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Rio Branco 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.90 R$35.36

-36.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$25.16 R$129

28.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.47 R$38.30

19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.94 R$15.08

-1.36%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.40 R$7.17

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.77 R$3.92

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.98 R$10.14

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.00 R$15.35

24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.01 R$5.18

85.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.62 R$8.31

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.22 R$6.27

27.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.09 R$10.73

0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$9.44 R$48.35

107.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.09 R$20.95

-16.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$8.41 R$43.11

35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.19 R$11.24

36.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.28 R$6.56

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.20 R$6.16

84.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.54 R$7.92

40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.17 R$6.02

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.06 R$5.41

26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.77 R$3.96

46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.80 R$4.08

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.50 R$12.81

70.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.84 R$40.17

143.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.36 R$6.96

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.14 R$10.99

29.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.69 R$3.55

223.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

$43.48 R$223

-47.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.23 R$6.32

146.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.81 R$4.17

25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$7.93 R$40.65

-50.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.31 R$6.71

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$23.4K R$120.1K

13.42%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$32.4K R$165.9K

-16.50%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$73.4 R$376

39.68%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.40 R$63.5

-8.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$20.33 R$104

-14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$21.70 R$111

140.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$27.05 R$139

-59.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$3.43 R$17.60

124.20%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$294 R$1,508

90.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$7,680 R$39.4K

49.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$53.7 R$275

17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$48.23 R$247

-38.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$92.7 R$475

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$69.6 R$357

27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$340 R$1,744

116.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$189 R$966

155.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$526 R$2,694

300.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$334 R$1,713

266.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,590 R$8,146

127.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$1,594 R$8,169

63.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$249 R$1,275

98.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.06

-49.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $340 in Rio Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 98% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Rio Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $190 per month, with Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 98% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $340 in Rio Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $294 in Rio Branco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $819 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Rio Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.