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: $2,328 in Aruba versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Aruba versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,123 in Aruba versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Aruba is roughly 86% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 69% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 AWG 26.50

$4.56 ฿150

224.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 AWG 163

$32.62 ฿1,073

179.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 AWG 18.95

$8.90 ฿293

18.76%

Cappuccino

$5.28 AWG 9.46

$2.80 ฿92.2

88.57%

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

$2.47 AWG 4.43

$0.88 ฿28.94

180.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 AWG 3.92

$0.49 ฿16.08

346.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.25 AWG 9.41

$2.39 ฿78.5

119.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 AWG 12.63

$3.71 ฿122

90.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 AWG 2.99

$1.79 ฿58.8

-6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 AWG 5.10

$1.44 ฿47.40

97.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 AWG 5.50

$1.58 ฿52.1

94.30%

Eggs

$3.80 AWG 6.81

$2.13 ฿69.9

78.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 AWG 25.59

$19.92 ฿655

-28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 AWG 7.37

$3.43 ฿113

19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 AWG 3.53

$1.72 ฿56.6

14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 AWG 4.55

$2.22 ฿73.0

14.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 AWG 4.29

$1.49 ฿49.06

60.40%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$233 AWG 418

$103 ฿3,380

126.79%

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

$134 AWG 240

$10.99 ฿361

1116.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 AWG 153

$17.51 ฿576

387.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$301 AWG 539

$557 ฿18.3K

-46.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K AWG 32.0K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

50.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 AWG 116

$29.07 ฿956

122.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 213

$96.0 ฿3,155

23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 AWG 1,154

$730 ฿24.0K

-11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 AWG 2,480

$500 ฿16.4K

176.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 AWG 5,629

$2,090 ฿68.7K

50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,982 AWG 7,137

$1,209 ฿39.8K

229.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,927 AWG 3,454

$503 ฿16.6K

282.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Aruba: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Aruba and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 283% 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: $91.0 in Aruba vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $148 vs $273, with Aruba 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

Aruba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Phuket differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($2,328 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 283% 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: $644 in Aruba versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 85% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,328 per month in Aruba versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,328 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 86% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.