😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $616 in Sete Lagoas.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $983 in Sete Lagoas.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,350 in Sete Lagoas.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 105% more expensive than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sete Lagoas54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$6.43R$33.10
-26.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$20.59R$106
120.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$4.94R$25.44
70.65%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$0.55R$2.86
432.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$0.88R$4.56
-21.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.52R$2.68
-28.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.38R$7.08
74.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$1.72R$8.87
116.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$0.79R$4.09
182.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$0.61R$3.14
200.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.59R$8.17
36.48%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$1.54R$7.96
43.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$5.53R$28.49
256.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$2.75R$14.17
32.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$7.10R$36.56
90.56%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$0.87R$4.49
277.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.11R$5.72
45.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$0.56R$2.87
330.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$0.86R$4.43
141.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.07R$5.51
42.99%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$0.56R$2.89
164.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$0.46R$2.37
115.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$0.48R$2.47
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$2.10R$10.82
110.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$5.79R$29.80
234.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$0.55R$2.85
223.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$0.93R$4.81
191.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$0.87R$4.48
57.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$38.34R$197
-70.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$0.37R$1.92
716.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$0.27R$1.39
266.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$7.89R$40.62
78.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$0.88R$4.53
54.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$12.5KR$64.4K
125.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$21.5KR$110.5K
53.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$44.61R$230
172.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$14.36R$74.0
-5.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$17.98R$92.6
1.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$22.59R$116
166.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$21.52R$111
-20.35%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$3.68R$18.94
136.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$106R$546
553.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$6,816R$35.1K
130.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$9.06R$46.69
557.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$8.84R$45.56
293.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$36.45R$188
214.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$36.27R$187
129.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$319R$1,645
92.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$219R$1,127
99.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$589R$3,032
255.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$437R$2,253
245.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$1,618R$8,335
131.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$1,161R$5,983
125.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$432R$2,228
17.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.83
-50.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Sete Lagoas: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $319 in Sete Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 17% 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 $21.00 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $124 per month, with Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sete Lagoas cheaper than Phuket?
Sete Lagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Sete Lagoas?
Phuket pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sete Lagoas?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $319 in Sete Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $106 in Sete Lagoas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Sete Lagoas?
Supermarket bills run roughly 136% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Sete Lagoas?
At $616 in Sete Lagoas versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sete Lagoas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sete Lagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sete Lagoas more family-friendly?
For families, Sete Lagoas 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sete Lagoas?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sete Lagoas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sete Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.