Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ribeirao Preto and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Ribeirao Preto: $873 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ribeirao Preto
🇧🇷 Brazil
$873
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ribeirao Preto and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ribeirao Preto and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Ribeirao Preto versus $1,207 in Phuket.

  • Ribeirao Preto $873
  • Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,420 in Ribeirao Preto versus $2,037 in Phuket.

  • Ribeirao Preto $1,420
  • Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Ribeirao Preto versus $2,867 in Phuket.

  • Ribeirao Preto $1,967
  • Phuket $2,867

Living in Ribeirao Preto costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ribeirao Preto 35% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.08 R$40.94
$4.58 ฿153
76.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.4 R$255
$32.48 ฿1,086
55.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.62 R$38.63
$8.55 ฿286
-10.88%
Cappuccino
$1.77 R$8.99
$2.72 ฿91.0
-34.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.22
$0.94 ฿31.25
9.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 R$4.13
$0.49 ฿16.39
65.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.22 R$6.19
$2.59 ฿86.6
-52.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 R$10.20
$3.83 ฿128
-47.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 R$5.03
$1.74 ฿58.1
-43.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 R$9.01
$1.43 ฿47.82
24.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 R$5.00
$1.53 ฿51.0
-35.29%
Eggs
$2.32 R$11.78
$2.17 ฿72.7
6.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.92 R$50.3
$19.15 ฿640
-48.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.27 R$21.64
$3.30 ฿110
29.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.90 R$45.13
$11.14 ฿372
-20.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 R$14.24
$2.95 ฿98.5
-4.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 R$6.96
$1.68 ฿56.1
-18.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 R$7.40
$2.30 ฿76.8
-36.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.95 R$9.87
$2.13 ฿71.3
-8.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 R$6.70
$1.53 ฿51.1
-13.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 R$5.02
$1.36 ฿45.55
-27.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 R$5.80
$1.12 ฿37.44
1.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 R$4.62
$0.55 ฿18.24
65.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 R$13.10
$4.26 ฿142
-39.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.87 R$44.95
$18.19 ฿608
-51.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 R$6.16
$1.74 ฿58.2
-30.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 R$9.05
$2.79 ฿93.3
-35.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.05 R$5.31
$2.22 ฿74.1
-52.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.4 R$265
$22.06 ฿737
137.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 R$5.92
$2.91 ฿97.3
-59.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 R$7.23
$1.01 ฿33.79
41.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.26 R$41.87
$3.83 ฿128
115.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 R$6.37
$1.49 ฿49.85
-15.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K R$120.5K
$26.7K ฿891.6K
-10.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K R$164.0K
$26.7K ฿892.7K
21.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.7 R$429
$99.4 ฿3,321
-14.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.14 R$61.5
$11.28 ฿377
7.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.71 R$89.8
$17.36 ฿580
2.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.33 R$108
$52.3 ฿1,747
-59.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90 R$126
$10.85 ฿362
129.49%
Cinema Ticket
$7.85 R$39.78
$7.57 ฿253
3.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$243 R$1,233
$558 ฿18.7K
-56.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,927 R$30.0K
$11.5K ฿383.9K
-48.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 R$268
$62.9 ฿2,102
-16.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.30 R$219
$28.58 ฿955
51.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.0 R$421
$96.1 ฿3,213
-13.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.7 R$283
$88.1 ฿2,943
-36.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$269 R$1,366
$729 ฿24.4K
-63.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$219 R$1,111
$460 ฿15.4K
-52.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$507 R$2,572
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-75.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$396 R$2,005
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-67.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,353 R$6,857
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-60.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$984 R$4,989
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-60.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ribeirao Preto
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$589 R$2,986
$493 ฿16.5K
19.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.62
5.57
144.52%

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

Last update for Ribeirao Preto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ribeirao Preto
$219
Phuket
$460 110% $241
Groceries & Markets
Ribeirao Preto
$205
Phuket
$268 30.2% $62
Eating Out
Ribeirao Preto
$126
Phuket
$121 3.9% $4.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ribeirao Preto
$115
Phuket
$128 11.7% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Ribeirao Preto
$106
Phuket
$124 17.4% $18
Getting Around
Ribeirao Preto
$65
Phuket
$39 40% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Ribeirao Preto
$37
Phuket
$67 82.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Ribeirao Preto and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ribeirao Preto pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Ribeirao Preto vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $268, with Ribeirao Preto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Ribeirao Preto
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
04:59 4:59 AM
14:59 2:59 PM
10 h ahead of Ribeirao Preto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
698,642
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ribeirao Preto Phuket 16,100 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ribeirao Preto
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ribeirao Preto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ribeirao Preto?
Ribeirao Preto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ribeirao Preto or Phuket?
Average pay runs 19% higher in Ribeirao Preto, 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 Ribeirao Preto and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Ribeirao Preto versus $729 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $243 in Ribeirao Preto versus $558 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ribeirao Preto and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ribeirao Preto or in Phuket?
At $873 in Ribeirao Preto versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ribeirao Preto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ribeirao Preto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ribeirao Preto or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Ribeirao Preto 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, Ribeirao Preto or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Ribeirao Preto and Phuket 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 Ribeirao Preto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ribeirao Preto vs other spots: cost of living compared

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