😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,509 in Rio de Mouro versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,459 in Rio de Mouro versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Rio de Mouro versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Rio de Mouro is roughly 21% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Mouro is 13% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44€15.27
$4.55฿153
283.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.8€50.6
$46.18฿1,553
25.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.43€8.26
$8.84฿297
6.67%
Cappuccino
$2.28€2.00
$3.06฿103
-25.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77€1.55
$0.73฿24.40
142.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.03
$0.40฿13.39
195.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.27€1.99
$2.43฿81.8
-6.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15€3.64
$3.78฿127
9.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14€1.00
$2.26฿76.0
-49.56%
White Bread(500g)
$1.20€1.05
$1.81฿60.9
-33.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64€1.44
$2.25฿75.8
-27.11%
Eggs
$3.54€3.10
$2.25฿75.5
57.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.34€8.18
$19.51฿656
-52.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.48€6.55
$3.65฿123
104.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.64€10.19
$13.05฿439
-10.80%
Apples(1kg)
$3.20€2.80
$3.23฿109
-0.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50€1.31
$1.62฿54.4
-7.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71€1.50
$2.38฿80.1
-28.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.37€2.08
$2.03฿68.1
16.75%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.79
$1.53฿51.6
33.33%
Onion(1kg)
$2.11€1.85
$1.50฿50.5
40.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18€1.04
$0.98฿32.91
20.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82€0.71
$0.52฿17.39
57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00€5.26
$4.44฿149
35.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.63€4.06
$18.32฿616
-74.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31€1.15
$1.86฿62.7
-29.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.30
$2.68฿90.1
-2.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.16€1.89
$1.41฿47.46
53.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.22€40.48
$11.70฿393
295.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.71€3.25
$3.11฿105
19.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81€0.71
$1.04฿35.06
-22.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.12€14.99
$14.11฿474
21.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.95€1.71
$1.31฿44.10
48.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K€30.0K
$27.8K฿935.4K
22.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K€34.9K
$33.2K฿1.1M
19.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102€89.0
$122฿4,118
-17.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.48€18.81
$13.59฿457
58.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.06€39.47
$18.70฿629
140.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.77€34.83
$60.5฿2,034
-34.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.20€7.19
$9.07฿305
-9.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$642€563
$706฿23.8K
-9.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,198€6,304
$15.8K฿531.5K
-54.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.0€60.4
$58.6฿1,969
17.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.21€41.34
$35.36฿1,189
33.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.8€62.9
$115฿3,883
-37.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.2€51.0
$83.7฿2,816
-30.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$924€809
$626฿21.0K
47.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$633€554
$445฿15.0K
42.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$795€696
$2,040฿68.6K
-61.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,416€1,240
$1,492฿50.2K
-5.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,483฿117.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Mouro
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$885€775
$500฿16.8K
77.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.01
5.33
-6.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rio de Mouro: July 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $924 in Rio de Mouro and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rio de Mouro pays 77% 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: $58.0 in Rio de Mouro vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $289, with Rio de Mouro cheaper for home cooking.
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 de Mouro vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Rio de Mouro?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rio de Mouro or Phuket?
Average pay runs 77% higher in Rio de Mouro, 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 Rio de Mouro and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $924 in Rio de Mouro versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $642 in Rio de Mouro versus $706 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 Rio de Mouro and in Phuket?
Shoppers in Rio de Mouro pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Rio de Mouro or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,509 in Rio de Mouro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rio de Mouro. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rio de Mouro or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Mouro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rio de Mouro or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Rio de Mouro 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Rio de Mouro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Rio de Mouro vs other spots: cost of living compared