Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,873 in Aruba versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,038 in Aruba versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,204 in Aruba versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Aruba is roughly 130% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 115% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$4.55 ฿153

188.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 AWG 164

$46.18 ฿1,554

98.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 AWG 17.74

$8.84 ฿298

12.10%

Cappuccino

$4.82 AWG 8.62

$3.06 ฿103

57.52%

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

$2.26 AWG 4.04

$0.73 ฿24.42

209.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$0.40 ฿13.40

395.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 AWG 7.46

$2.43 ฿81.8

71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 AWG 10.65

$3.78 ฿127

57.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$2.26 ฿76.0

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$1.81 ฿60.9

106.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 AWG 6.98

$2.25 ฿75.8

73.33%

Eggs

$5.62 AWG 10.06

$2.25 ฿75.6

149.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.28 AWG 57.8

$19.51 ฿656

65.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$3.65 ฿123

84.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.91

$13.05 ฿439

28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$3.23 ฿109

84.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.07

$1.62 ฿54.4

74.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.05 AWG 12.61

$2.38 ฿80.2

196.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.16 AWG 14.60

$2.03 ฿68.2

301.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 AWG 7.09

$1.53 ฿51.6

158.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 AWG 6.86

$1.50 ฿50.5

156.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$0.98 ฿32.93

507.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 AWG 6.61

$0.52 ฿17.40

611.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$4.44 ฿149

292.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 AWG 32.59

$18.32 ฿616

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 AWG 8.89

$2.68 ฿90.2

85.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 AWG 2.57

$1.31 ฿44.13

9.92%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$254 AWG 454

$122 ฿4,120

107.07%

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

$130 AWG 233

$13.59 ฿457

856.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$18.70 ฿629

255.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 AWG 109

$60.5 ฿2,035

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 AWG 23.19

$9.07 ฿305

42.89%

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

$301 AWG 539

$706 ฿23.8K

-57.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

12.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 AWG 87.9

$58.6 ฿1,970

-16.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 AWG 116

$35.36 ฿1,190

83.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 214

$115 ฿3,885

3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 AWG 1,307

$626 ฿21.1K

16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 AWG 2,485

$445 ฿15.0K

211.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,245 AWG 5,806

$2,040 ฿68.7K

59.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 AWG 7,280

$1,492 ฿50.2K

172.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,939 AWG 3,470

$500 ฿16.8K

287.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Aruba: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Aruba and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 288% 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: $92.0 in Aruba vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $289 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

Aruba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Phuket differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 288% higher in Aruba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Aruba versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Aruba versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,873 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aruba 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.