Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Bernardo do Campo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Bernardo do Campo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $780 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,259 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,739 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 62% more expensive than Sao Bernardo do Campo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sao Bernardo do Campo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.31 R$31.96

-25.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.45 R$129

78.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.94 R$40.21

6.17%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.45 R$7.34

102.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.14 R$5.76

-39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.54 R$2.75

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.49 R$12.63

-3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.60 R$23.28

-19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.91 R$4.62

145.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.34 R$6.78

36.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.18 R$5.98

83.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.80 R$9.14

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.57 R$48.44

106.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.26 R$21.55

-14.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.38 R$37.35

83.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.86 R$9.43

76.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.64 R$8.31

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.02 R$5.16

136.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.25 R$6.35

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.06 R$5.39

44.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.94 R$4.75

57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.82 R$4.17

20.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.64 R$3.26

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.13 R$10.79

107.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.69 R$33.88

189.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.09 R$5.50

63.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.58 R$13.08

5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.94 R$4.75

45.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$38.50 R$195

-70.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.11 R$5.60

172.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.50 R$2.52

98.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.31 R$31.93

123.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.04 R$5.27

30.77%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$20.4K R$103.2K

38.43%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.2K R$152.8K

9.01%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$67.0 R$339

81.72%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$22.36 R$113

-39.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$16.79 R$85.0

9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.26 R$113

170.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$29.87 R$151

-42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.37 R$37.33

17.91%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$305 R$1,546

127.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,885 R$29.8K

166.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$28.00 R$142

112.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$44.43 R$225

-21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$89.8 R$455

27.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$68.3 R$346

21.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$301 R$1,522

104.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$201 R$1,018

117.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$645 R$3,264

224.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$404 R$2,046

273.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,561 R$7,906

140.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,106 R$5,600

136.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$402 R$2,038

26.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sao Bernardo do Campo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $301 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 26% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Sao Bernardo do Campo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $176 per month, with Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Bernardo do Campo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 26% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $301 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $305 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $780 in Sao Bernardo do Campo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Bernardo do Campo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Bernardo do Campo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.