Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ubatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ubatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $838 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,325 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,812 in Ubatuba.

Living in Phuket is roughly 47% more expensive than in Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.16 R$36.68

-38.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$28.71 R$147

12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.85 R$24.83

84.12%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.49 R$7.64

94.63%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.30 R$6.66

-32.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.87 R$4.46

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.29 R$11.75

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.65 R$18.70

1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.06 R$5.43

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.78 R$9.13

-17.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.34 R$6.86

15.67%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.61 R$13.36

-19.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$2.98 R$15.25

557.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.95 R$20.23

-13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$7.82 R$40.06

45.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$1.60 R$8.22

86.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.14 R$5.84

47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.14 R$5.82

93.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.50 R$7.70

44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.14 R$5.85

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.14 R$5.84

17.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.91 R$4.65

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.57 R$2.90

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.45 R$12.54

73.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.89 R$40.45

141.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.46 R$7.51

21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.41 R$12.33

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$1.00 R$5.10

123.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.19 R$6.10

154.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.76 R$3.90

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$8.14 R$41.69

-52.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.22 R$6.26

22.13%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$23.1K R$118.5K

14.94%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$31.7K R$162.7K

-14.84%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$64.0 R$328

60.08%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.20 R$47.16

23.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$19.68 R$101

-11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$11.47 R$58.8

354.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.80 R$39.95

-1.41%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$426 R$2,183

31.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$9,797 R$50.2K

17.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$64.1 R$328

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$55.4 R$284

-46.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$93.6 R$480

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$83.6 R$428

5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$397 R$2,033

86.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$295 R$1,512

63.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$780 R$3,997

170.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$573 R$2,935

114.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,726 R$8,847

109.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$376 R$1,927

31.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.81

-48.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $397 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 31% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Ubatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $167 per month, with Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $397 in Ubatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $426 in Ubatuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubatuba – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $838 in Ubatuba versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ubatuba but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ubatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.