Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Phuket versus $777 in Rio do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Phuket versus $1,207 in Rio do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Phuket versus $1,638 in Rio do Sul.

Living in Phuket is roughly 60% more expensive than in Rio do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rio do Sul 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$4.72 R$24.65

-7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,103

$21.00 R$110

56.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿282

$7.88 R$41.13

6.47%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.8

$2.03 R$10.61

34.48%

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

$0.88 ฿29.59

$1.16 R$6.05

-24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.92

$0.82 R$4.29

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.1

$2.43 R$12.69

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.73 R$19.50

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$0.92 R$4.79

98.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.58

$1.79 R$9.36

-18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.31 R$6.82

20.61%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.4

$1.51 R$7.91

39.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿650

$7.64 R$39.89

153.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$3.85 R$20.12

-11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿368

$6.83 R$35.64

60.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$1.50 R$7.85

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.9

$1.02 R$5.32

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.1

$0.80 R$4.17

176.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.2

$1.17 R$6.13

81.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.34

$0.84 R$4.38

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.37

$0.70 R$3.63

88.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.93

$0.75 R$3.93

42.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.61

$0.75 R$3.94

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$2.83 R$14.79

54.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿624

$3.74 R$19.54

397.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.6

$1.32 R$6.88

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿95.8

$2.52 R$13.18

13.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.97 R$5.09

132.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿771

$42.44 R$222

-45.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿98.7

$1.21 R$6.32

142.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.84

$0.76 R$3.95

40.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$5.67 R$29.59

-32.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.96

$1.18 R$6.18

23.73%

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

$27.2K ฿912.2K

$23.1K R$120.6K

17.74%

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

$26.6K ฿893.5K

$31.9K R$166.6K

-16.54%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$60.5 R$316

68.60%

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

$10.96 ฿368

$9.42 R$49.18

16.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿567

$19.97 R$104

-15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,758

$25.11 R$131

108.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿367

$26.40 R$138

-58.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿252

$4.70 R$24.56

60.00%

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

$547 ฿18.3K

$297 R$1,550

84.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.5K

$10.7K R$55.9K

5.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,122

$47.04 R$246

34.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿981

$49.42 R$258

-40.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,282

$77.4 R$404

26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,909

$47.47 R$248

82.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$336 R$1,756

114.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

$230 R$1,202

106.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿69.8K

$652 R$3,403

219.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.1K

$454 R$2,370

163.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.0K

$1,579 R$8,244

126.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.3K

$1,117 R$5,832

127.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.54

-51.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Rio do Sul: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $336 in Rio do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Rio do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $159 per month, with Rio do Sul 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 do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio do Sul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,865 in Phuket and $1,165 in Rio do Sul to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $336 in Rio do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $547 in Phuket versus $297 in Rio do Sul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $777 in Rio do Sul versus $1,243 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio do Sul but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rio do Sul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rio do Sul 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 do Sul 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 do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.