🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Curepipe versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,484 in Curepipe versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,033 in Curepipe versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Curepipe costs roughly 26% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Curepipe30% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.28MUR 154
$4.56฿149
-28.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.54MUR 2,050
$46.63฿1,519
-6.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.59MUR 216
$8.47฿276
-45.81%
Cappuccino
$2.63MUR 124
$3.03฿98.6
-13.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03MUR 48.41
$0.69฿22.45
49.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56MUR 26.44
$0.37฿11.92
51.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.73MUR 81.4
$2.49฿81.0
-30.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72MUR 128
$3.66฿119
-25.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30MUR 61.3
$2.18฿71.0
-40.37%
White Bread(500g)
$0.69MUR 32.72
$1.90฿62.0
-63.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.31MUR 61.9
$2.20฿71.6
-40.45%
Eggs
$2.23MUR 105
$2.22฿72.4
0.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.59MUR 357
$19.99฿651
-62.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.36MUR 300
$3.66฿119
73.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.47MUR 399
$13.25฿432
-36.08%
Apples(1kg)
$2.05MUR 96.5
$3.23฿105
-36.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.80MUR 84.9
$1.70฿55.3
5.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.51MUR 71.0
$2.39฿78.0
-36.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.64MUR 125
$2.08฿67.7
26.92%
Potato(1kg)
$0.92MUR 43.22
$1.59฿51.8
-42.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.00MUR 47.01
$1.48฿48.31
-32.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86MUR 40.34
$1.03฿33.54
-16.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52MUR 24.65
$0.52฿16.83
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90MUR 278
$4.25฿138
38.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.33MUR 345
$18.79฿612
-60.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65MUR 77.8
$1.76฿57.2
-6.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10MUR 99.1
$2.76฿89.8
-23.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89MUR 42.05
$1.36฿44.32
-34.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.75MUR 1,731
$11.36฿370
223.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.40MUR 160
$3.14฿102
8.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.73MUR 128
$1.04฿33.74
162.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.36MUR 205
$13.77฿448
-68.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46MUR 68.7
$1.34฿43.79
8.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
$27.7K฿901.4K
2.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0KMUR 1.4M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-14.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$48.85MUR 2,300
$124฿4,025
-60.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.45MUR 869
$13.52฿440
36.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.22MUR 1,423
$18.69฿609
61.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$17.46MUR 822
$61.8฿2,013
-71.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.14MUR 101
$17.25฿562
-87.59%
Cinema Ticket
$6.08MUR 287
$9.14฿298
-33.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151MUR 7,108
$703฿22.9K
-78.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,175MUR 149.5K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-80.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.33MUR 1,946
$59.5฿1,937
-30.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.24MUR 1,612
$35.07฿1,142
-2.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.9MUR 3,576
$115฿3,754
-34.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.9MUR 3,432
$84.1฿2,737
-13.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$518MUR 24.4K
$619฿20.1K
-16.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$360MUR 17.0K
$433฿14.1K
-16.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,047MUR 49.3K
$2,062฿67.2K
-49.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$684MUR 32.2K
$1,511฿49.2K
-54.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$735MUR 34.6K
$3,646฿118.7K
-79.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$623MUR 29.3K
$2,626฿85.5K
-76.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$864MUR 40.7K
$507฿16.5K
70.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.5
5.33
3.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Curepipe: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Curepipe and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Curepipe pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Curepipe vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $293 per month, with Curepipe 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
Curepipe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Curepipe?
Curepipe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Curepipe or Phuket?
Curepipe pays 70% 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 Curepipe and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $518 in Curepipe versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Curepipe runs roughly 224% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $151 in Curepipe versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Curepipe or Phuket?
At $935 in Curepipe versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curepipe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Curepipe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Curepipe or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Curepipe is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Curepipe or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Curepipe 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 Curepipe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.