Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio das Ostras Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio das Ostras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $674 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,521 in Rio das Ostras.

Living in Phuket is roughly 86% more expensive than in Rio das Ostras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Rio das Ostras 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.99 R$25.41

-8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$26.71 R$136

72.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.38 R$32.48

38.56%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.36 R$6.94

125.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.22 R$6.19

-40.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.59 R$3.00

-32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.78 R$9.08

36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.77 R$14.12

36.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.06 R$5.38

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.27 R$6.47

42.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.04 R$5.29

116.35%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.02 R$10.27

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.25 R$31.80

212.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.28 R$16.72

11.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.13 R$41.40

60.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.36 R$12.01

36.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.30 R$6.60

24.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.12 R$5.72

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.37 R$6.97

48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.10 R$5.58

39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.94 R$4.78

59.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.41 R$2.08

139.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.52 R$2.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.99 R$10.15

123.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.70 R$44.32

110.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.21 R$6.17

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.08 R$10.57

28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.68 R$3.49

107.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$38.58 R$196

-69.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.12 R$5.70

177.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.71 R$3.62

46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$7.41 R$37.72

90.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.03 R$5.26

27.18%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$16.5K R$84.1K

68.41%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.9K R$142.1K

18.99%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$68.3 R$348

79.19%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$12.27 R$62.5

10.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$16.46 R$83.8

13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$24.07 R$123

151.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$13.47 R$68.6

26.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.63 R$28.69

61.10%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$334 R$1,701

111.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,367 R$32.4K

148.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$45.15 R$230

29.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$41.67 R$212

-15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$74.4 R$379

55.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$60.0 R$306

39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$179 R$910

249.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$128 R$651

248.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$418 R$2,126

388.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$283 R$1,439

427.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,596 R$8,123

118.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,145 R$5,830

125.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$529 R$2,695

-5.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-40.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $179 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio das Ostras pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $167 per month, with Rio das Ostras 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 das Ostras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio das Ostras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Rio das Ostras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $179 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $334 in Rio das Ostras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $674 in Rio das Ostras versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio das Ostras but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rio das Ostras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rio das Ostras 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 das Ostras 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 das Ostras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.