Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $654 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,036 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,419 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Living in Phuket is roughly 94% more expensive than Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.65 R$18.46

28.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$21.74 R$110

108.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.80 R$29.35

45.34%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.52 R$7.70

92.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.75 R$3.79

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.36 R$1.84

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.42 R$7.19

69.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.77 R$14.04

34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.92 R$4.66

142.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.66 R$8.42

10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.06 R$5.34

104.72%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.89 R$9.54

16.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.45 R$32.63

206.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.26 R$16.50

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.89 R$29.80

129.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.16 R$10.92

51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.05 R$5.31

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.70 R$3.54

244.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.66 R$8.38

25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.40 R$7.10

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.17 R$5.90

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.92 R$4.64

7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.62 R$3.12

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.77 R$8.97

149.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.86 R$34.70

182.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.04 R$5.24

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.05 R$10.39

32.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.77 R$3.88

77.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$27.29 R$138

-58.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.56 R$2.82

439.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.57 R$2.89

73.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.32 R$31.97

123.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.05 R$5.33

29.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$22.1K R$111.7K

27.75%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.4K R$118.4K

40.59%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$52.0 R$263

134.13%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$11.89 R$60.1

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$17.36 R$87.9

5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$19.63 R$99.3

206.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$18.29 R$92.5

-6.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.83 R$14.31

207.07%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$252 R$1,273

175.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$7,206 R$36.5K

117.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$54.2 R$274

9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$57.5 R$291

-39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$75.4 R$382

51.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$40.12 R$203

107.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$270 R$1,364

127.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$165 R$834

164.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$416 R$2,105

403.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$341 R$1,725

342.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$2,215 R$11.2K

69.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$839 R$4,243

211.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$542 R$2,743

-6.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.23

-35.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $270 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP pays 7% 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 $22.00 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $160 per month, with Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP earns 7% 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 $270 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $252 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $654 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.