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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $744 in Rio Dulce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,240 in Rio Dulce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,736 in Rio Dulce.

Living in Phuket is roughly 65% more expensive than in Rio Dulce, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Rio Dulce 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.91 Q 52.7

-36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$49.15 Q 375

-34.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.90 Q 60.3

13.04%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.41 Q 26.01

-14.96%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.14 Q 8.72

-22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.83 Q 6.36

-42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$3.33 Q 25.38

-29.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.88 Q 37.25

-23.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$2.00 Q 15.24

-6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$2.96 Q 22.62

-50.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.10 Q 16.04

-26.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.52 Q 19.26

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$6.51 Q 49.66

200.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.44 Q 72.0

-63.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$13.44 Q 103

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$3.98 Q 30.40

-25.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.70 Q 12.94

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.92 Q 22.27

-24.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.61 Q 12.28

34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.50 Q 11.45

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$2.09 Q 15.91

-35.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.70 Q 5.34

61.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$1.15 Q 8.77

-52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.11 Q 31.36

3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.00 Q 61.0

138.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.73 Q 13.19

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.70 Q 20.59

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$5.28 Q 40.27

-42.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$10.34 Q 78.9

-62.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.23 Q 9.37

21.14%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$27.6K Q 210.9K

-3.85%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$25.2K Q 192.4K

7.19%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$76.0 Q 580

34.79%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$29.42 Q 224

-61.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$45.09 Q 344

-61.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$6.49 Q 49.52

18.49%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$334 Q 2,548

67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$6,819 Q 52.0K

68.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$47.69 Q 364

32.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$46.66 Q 356

-36.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$108 Q 827

-9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$115 Q 877

-22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.62

-52.07%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Rio Dulce: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Rio Dulce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $280 per month, with Phuket 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 Dulce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio Dulce is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,116 in Rio Dulce 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.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $334 in Rio Dulce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio Dulce – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $744 in Rio Dulce versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rio Dulce but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Dulce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rio Dulce 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 Dulce 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 Dulce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.