Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Rio Branco versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Rio Branco versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,742 in Rio Branco versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Rio Branco costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio Branco 41% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 R$34.41

$4.66 ฿154

43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 R$131

$32.22 ฿1,065

-20.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 R$36.52

$8.68 ฿287

-17.97%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R$14.59

$2.90 ฿95.8

-1.72%

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

$1.34 R$6.85

$0.84 ฿27.89

59.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.49 ฿16.16

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R$9.89

$2.48 ฿82.0

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 R$14.97

$3.73 ฿123

-21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.89 ฿62.3

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.24

$1.41 ฿46.54

14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.20

$1.62 ฿53.6

-25.31%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.76

$2.24 ฿74.1

-6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R$45.90

$19.84 ฿656

-54.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$3.48 ฿115

16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R$41.16

$11.37 ฿376

-29.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$11.45

$2.90 ฿95.8

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.72 ฿57.0

-24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.07

$2.27 ฿75.1

-48.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.07

$2.13 ฿70.4

-26.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.94

$1.47 ฿48.72

-21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.42 ฿46.92

-27.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 R$4.23

$1.10 ฿36.25

-25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$4.01

$0.60 ฿19.76

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.25

$4.31 ฿142

-44.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 R$40.15

$18.60 ฿615

-57.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.80 ฿59.5

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.42

$2.97 ฿98.0

-31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 R$3.43

$2.25 ฿74.2

-70.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.03 R$221

$23.49 ฿776

83.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.56

$3.10 ฿102

-58.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.24

$1.08 ฿35.56

-23.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 R$40.08

$3.87 ฿128

102.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.82

$1.43 ฿47.16

-6.99%

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

$23.4K R$119.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-15.92%

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

$32.2K R$165.0K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

19.32%

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

$72.3 R$371

$105 ฿3,462

-30.97%

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

$12.12 R$62.1

$11.39 ฿376

6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 R$107

$17.54 ฿580

19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.39 R$110

$54.3 ฿1,795

-60.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.73 R$137

$11.44 ฿378

133.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 R$17.23

$7.78 ฿257

-56.81%

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

$285 R$1,459

$576 ฿19.0K

-50.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,359 R$37.7K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-36.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 R$276

$63.6 ฿2,103

-15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 R$247

$29.10 ฿961

65.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 R$462

$96.2 ฿3,179

-6.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 R$364

$90.0 ฿2,974

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 R$1,730

$733 ฿24.2K

-53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$501 ฿16.5K

-62.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 R$2,749

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-74.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R$1,708

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-73.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,593 R$8,166

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-54.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 R$8,039

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-40.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 R$1,307

$508 ฿16.8K

-49.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

5.57

99.64%

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

Last update for Rio Branco: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Rio Branco and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 99% 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: $25.00 in Rio Branco vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $275 per month, with Rio Branco 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

Rio Branco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Phuket. 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: $337 in Rio Branco versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $285 in Rio Branco versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $809 in Rio Branco versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio Branco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rio Branco 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, Rio Branco 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.

Expats usually find Rio Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.