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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $663 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,087 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,510 in Rio das Ostras.

Living in Phuket is roughly 91% more expensive than 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

$4.70 ฿153

$4.82 R$24.39

-2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.24 R$138

66.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.19 R$31.32

36.19%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.34 R$6.81

118.66%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.17 R$5.94

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.55 R$2.80

-32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.83 R$9.25

31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.66 R$13.45

39.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.05 R$5.33

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.23 R$6.22

48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.01 R$5.10

114.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.03 R$10.30

8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.37 R$32.24

209.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.32 R$16.80

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.19 R$41.45

65.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.30 R$11.66

42.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.34 R$6.78

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.13 R$5.70

113.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.39 R$7.04

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.11 R$5.62

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.92 R$4.68

60.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.43 R$2.19

130.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.52 R$2.64

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.92 R$9.74

129.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.00 R$45.57

115.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.26 R$6.36

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.11 R$10.70

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.74 R$3.72

85.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$37.87 R$192

-69.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.12 R$5.65

169.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.65 R$3.30

52.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.62 R$38.60

85.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.00 R$5.05

36.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$16.1K R$81.5K

75.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.1K R$137.0K

21.63%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$66.2 R$335

83.75%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$12.07 R$61.1

12.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$16.15 R$81.8

13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$24.06 R$122

150.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.53 R$68.5

26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.65 R$28.59

53.81%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$338 R$1,711

105.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,391 R$32.4K

145.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.53 R$231

30.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.10 R$213

-17.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$76.6 R$388

49.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$60.8 R$308

36.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$177 R$895

247.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$125 R$634

249.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$416 R$2,107

403.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$283 R$1,431

434.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,593 R$8,065

135.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,140 R$5,772

129.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$551 R$2,789

-7.74%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $177 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio das Ostras pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $168 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 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rio das Ostras earns 8% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $177 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $338 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 $663 in Rio das Ostras versus $1,265 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 91% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.