🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,004 in Curepipe versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,569 in Curepipe versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,134 in Curepipe versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Curepipe costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Curepipe27% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23MUR 153
$4.41฿147
-26.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.17MUR 1,813
$32.26฿1,073
18.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.36MUR 255
$8.93฿297
-39.98%
Cappuccino
$2.66MUR 127
$2.90฿96.3
-8.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05MUR 50.1
$0.88฿29.27
19.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66MUR 31.57
$0.48฿16.00
37.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.65MUR 78.3
$2.35฿78.2
-29.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63MUR 125
$3.72฿124
-29.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56MUR 74.1
$1.87฿62.0
-16.58%
White Bread(500g)
$0.77MUR 36.69
$1.47฿48.75
-47.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.12MUR 53.0
$1.55฿51.6
-27.74%
Eggs
$2.44MUR 116
$2.10฿69.9
16.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.46MUR 259
$19.59฿651
-72.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.59MUR 265
$3.42฿114
63.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.25MUR 439
$11.38฿378
-18.72%
Apples(1kg)
$2.00MUR 94.8
$2.98฿99.2
-32.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.03MUR 96.4
$1.68฿56.0
20.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.45MUR 68.7
$2.21฿73.5
-34.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.99MUR 142
$2.16฿71.9
38.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.01MUR 48.15
$1.52฿50.7
-33.55%
Onion(1kg)
$0.96MUR 45.55
$1.34฿44.49
-28.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.75MUR 35.46
$1.13฿37.53
-33.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67MUR 31.89
$0.55฿18.17
21.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36MUR 302
$4.26฿142
49.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.72MUR 177
$19.09฿635
-80.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MUR 80.2
$1.78฿59.2
-5.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30MUR 109
$2.78฿92.5
-17.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.73MUR 34.60
$2.23฿74.1
-67.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.63MUR 1,977
$22.74฿756
83.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.36MUR 207
$3.03฿101
43.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.19MUR 152
$1.02฿34.02
212.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.14MUR 197
$3.89฿129
6.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.39MUR 66.1
$1.49฿49.57
-6.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1KMUR 1.4M
$26.6K฿883.8K
13.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1KMUR 1.5M
$27.0K฿898.7K
15.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.88MUR 1,989
$102฿3,407
-59.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.84MUR 990
$11.33฿377
83.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.82MUR 1,369
$17.40฿578
65.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.59MUR 693
$52.1฿1,732
-71.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.18MUR 246
$7.69฿256
-32.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$128MUR 6,085
$561฿18.6K
-77.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,776MUR 369.4K
$11.5K฿382.6K
-32.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.24MUR 2,101
$63.0฿2,096
-29.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.85MUR 1,513
$29.52฿982
7.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.2MUR 4,523
$98.0฿3,259
-2.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.6MUR 2,500
$88.5฿2,943
-40.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577MUR 27.4K
$738฿24.5K
-21.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$422MUR 20.0K
$482฿16.0K
-12.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,210MUR 57.5K
$2,107฿70.0K
-42.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$792MUR 37.6K
$1,226฿40.8K
-35.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$753MUR 35.7K
$3,617฿120.3K
-79.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$646MUR 30.7K
$2,603฿86.5K
-75.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Curepipe
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$889MUR 42.2K
$494฿16.4K
80.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6
5.57
7.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Curepipe: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Curepipe and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Curepipe pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Curepipe vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $274, with Curepipe 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
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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Curepipe or Phuket?
Average pay runs 80% higher in Curepipe, 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: $577 in Curepipe versus $738 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 83% 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 $128 in Curepipe versus $561 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 living in Curepipe or in Phuket?
At $1,004 in Curepipe versus $1,232 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 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.