😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,455 in Acquarossa versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,316 in Acquarossa versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,177 in Acquarossa versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Acquarossa is roughly 173% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Acquarossa is 158% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.59CHF 24.12
$4.70฿153
550.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$150CHF 118
$45.37฿1,482
231.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$20.92CHF 16.49
$8.43฿275
148.16%
Cappuccino
$6.74CHF 5.32
$2.93฿95.6
130.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.92CHF 4.67
$0.69฿22.40
757.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10CHF 4.02
$0.37฿11.99
1278.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.76CHF 7.70
$2.41฿78.6
304.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.56CHF 6.75
$3.72฿122
130.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17CHF 1.71
$2.23฿72.9
-2.69%
White Bread(500g)
$3.37CHF 2.65
$1.83฿59.8
84.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.13CHF 3.25
$2.17฿70.8
90.32%
Eggs
$7.52CHF 5.93
$2.21฿72.3
240.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.93CHF 23.59
$19.74฿645
51.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$33.51CHF 26.42
$3.63฿119
823.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$50.7CHF 40.00
$13.53฿442
275.02%
Apples(1kg)
$4.11CHF 3.24
$3.28฿107
25.30%
Banana(1kg)
$2.91CHF 2.29
$1.61฿52.6
80.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.98CHF 2.35
$2.41฿78.6
23.65%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.98CHF 3.93
$2.08฿68.1
139.42%
Potato(1kg)
$2.82CHF 2.23
$1.53฿49.93
84.31%
Onion(1kg)
$2.34CHF 1.84
$1.48฿48.36
58.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.49CHF 1.96
$0.99฿32.29
151.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73CHF 1.37
$0.51฿16.67
239.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.17CHF 8.81
$4.41฿144
153.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.19CHF 11.98
$19.38฿633
-21.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67CHF 2.10
$1.78฿58.1
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19CHF 2.52
$2.71฿88.6
17.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.82CHF 3.01
$1.37฿44.79
178.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.9CHF 76.4
$11.39฿372
750.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.68CHF 6.05
$3.02฿98.6
154.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.11CHF 3.24
$0.99฿32.48
315.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$88.3CHF 69.6
$14.10฿461
525.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24CHF 1.76
$1.36฿44.51
64.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.2KCHF 31.7K
$28.2K฿921.1K
42.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9KCHF 31.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
21.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$260CHF 205
$122฿3,975
113.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.79CHF 28.22
$13.57฿443
163.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.4CHF 46.02
$18.31฿598
218.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$87.5CHF 69.0
$60.2฿1,967
45.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$24.21CHF 19.08
$8.69฿284
178.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$3,346CHF 2,638
$693฿22.6K
382.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$39.0KCHF 30.7K
$15.7K฿512.3K
148.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$139CHF 110
$59.5฿1,944
133.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8CHF 42.41
$34.77฿1,136
54.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$147CHF 116
$115฿3,743
28.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$205CHF 162
$83.3฿2,720
146.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,669CHF 1,316
$613฿20.0K
172.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,461CHF 1,152
$437฿14.3K
234.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,869CHF 2,262
$2,094฿68.4K
37.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,434CHF 1,919
$1,509฿49.3K
61.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$14.6KCHF 11.5K
$3,749฿122.5K
288.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$9,972CHF 7,862
$2,616฿85.4K
281.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Acquarossa
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$12.5KCHF 9,854
$508฿16.6K
2359.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.09
5.33
-60.79%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Acquarossa: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,669 in Acquarossa and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Acquarossa pays 2360% 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: $150 in Acquarossa vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $680 vs $293 per month, with Phuket 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
Acquarossa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Acquarossa or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 173% lower than in Acquarossa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Acquarossa or Phuket?
Acquarossa pays 2360% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Acquarossa vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,669 in Acquarossa versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Acquarossa or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Acquarossa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Acquarossa vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $150 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Acquarossa or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,455 in Acquarossa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Acquarossa. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Acquarossa or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Acquarossa compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Acquarossa 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Acquarossa vs other spots: cost of living compared