Cost of Living Comparison Between Setubal and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Setubal and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Setubal versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,390 in Setubal versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,113 in Setubal versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Setubal is roughly 32% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Setubal is 24% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.37€9.78
$4.70฿153
141.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.04€39.60
$45.37฿1,482
1.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.98€7.73
$8.43฿275
6.52%
Cappuccino
$2.00€1.72
$2.93฿95.6
-31.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75€1.51
$0.69฿22.40
153.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28€1.10
$0.37฿11.99
245.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.37€2.04
$2.41฿78.6
-1.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57€3.07
$3.72฿122
-4.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06€0.91
$2.23฿72.9
-52.47%
White Bread(500g)
$1.77€1.52
$1.83฿59.8
-3.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$2.17฿70.8
-11.52%
Eggs
$3.01€2.59
$2.21฿72.3
36.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.27€9.70
$19.74฿645
-42.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.98€6.86
$3.63฿119
119.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.08€12.11
$13.53฿442
4.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.57€2.21
$3.28฿107
-21.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51€1.30
$1.61฿52.6
-6.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.76€1.52
$2.41฿78.6
-26.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.99€2.58
$2.08฿68.1
43.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31€1.13
$1.53฿49.93
-14.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80€1.55
$1.48฿48.36
21.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.60€1.38
$0.99฿32.29
61.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.76
$0.51฿16.67
72.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.20€5.33
$4.41฿144
40.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.68€4.03
$19.38฿633
-75.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09€0.93
$1.78฿58.1
-38.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70€2.32
$2.71฿88.6
-0.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.29€3.69
$1.37฿44.79
213.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.11€40.52
$11.39฿372
313.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.68€3.16
$3.02฿98.6
21.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03€0.89
$0.99฿32.48
4.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.54€12.51
$14.10฿461
3.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97€1.70
$1.36฿44.51
44.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K€33.4K
$28.2K฿921.1K
37.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K€34.3K
$32.9K฿1.1M
21.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102€87.7
$122฿3,975
-16.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.19€18.23
$13.57฿443
56.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.62€35.80
$18.31฿598
127.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.03€26.69
$60.2฿1,967
-48.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.35€14.06
$17.14฿560
-4.61%
Cinema Ticket
$7.97€6.85
$8.69฿284
-8.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$350€301
$693฿22.6K
-49.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,286€6,268
$15.7K฿512.3K
-53.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.6€59.8
$59.5฿1,944
16.85%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.84€29.11
$34.77฿1,136
-2.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.2€61.2
$115฿3,743
-37.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.0€85.2
$83.3฿2,720
18.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$957€823
$613฿20.0K
56.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$829€713
$437฿14.3K
89.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,381€1,188
$2,094฿68.4K
-34.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,144€984
$1,509฿49.3K
-24.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,333€3,727
$3,749฿122.5K
15.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,441€2,100
$2,616฿85.4K
-6.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Setubal
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,343€1,156
$508฿16.6K
164.40%
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 Setubal: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Setubal and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Setubal pays 164% 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: $46.00 in Setubal vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $293, with Setubal 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
Setubal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Setubal?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Setubal or Phuket?
Setubal pays 164% 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 Setubal and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Setubal versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $350 in Setubal versus $693 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 Setubal and Phuket?
Shoppers in Setubal pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Setubal or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,668 in Setubal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Setubal. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Setubal or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Setubal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Setubal or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Setubal 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 32% less than in Setubal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.