Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeuwarden and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeuwarden and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,529 per month in Leeuwarden vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Leeuwarden vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,941 per month in Leeuwarden vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Leeuwarden costs about 100% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Leeuwarden sits 89% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.11 €19.90

$4.70 ฿154

391.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.0

$45.37 ฿1,483

127.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.49 €10.76

$8.43 ฿276

48.16%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.60

$2.93 ฿95.7

42.32%

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

$3.98 €3.43

$0.69 ฿22.42

476.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$0.37 ฿12.00

775.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.87

$2.41 ฿78.7

182.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 €4.62

$3.72 ฿122

44.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.23 ฿73.0

-48.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.11

$1.83 ฿59.9

34.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$2.17 ฿70.9

42.40%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.04

$2.21 ฿72.4

112.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 €11.40

$19.74 ฿645

-32.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 €13.34

$3.63 ฿119

326.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.67

$13.53 ฿442

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$3.28 ฿107

-38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.61 ฿52.7

57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.41 ฿78.7

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.43

$2.08 ฿68.1

91.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.53 ฿49.97

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.48 ฿48.41

31.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.99 ฿32.32

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.51 ฿16.68

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.69 €10.92

$4.41 ฿144

187.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 €6.39

$19.38 ฿634

-61.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.78 ฿58.1

-16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.71 ฿88.7

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$1.37 ฿44.83

105.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 €119

$11.39 ฿372

1115.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 €5.13

$3.02 ฿98.7

97.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.99 ฿32.51

147.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.81 €23.08

$14.10 ฿461

90.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.36 ฿44.55

59.56%

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

$29.0K €25.0K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

2.75%

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

$24.5K €21.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-25.43%

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

$246 €212

$122 ฿3,978

102.17%

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

$28.98 €24.96

$13.57 ฿444

113.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 €42.20

$18.31 ฿599

167.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 €33.10

$60.2 ฿1,969

-36.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.33 €14.92

$17.14 ฿560

1.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 €11.63

$8.69 ฿284

55.47%

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

$966 €832

$693 ฿22.7K

39.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,320 €5,442

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-59.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 €84.8

$59.5 ฿1,946

65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €45.38

$34.77 ฿1,137

51.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 €103

$115 ฿3,746

4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 €139

$83.3 ฿2,723

93.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 €1,303

$613 ฿20.0K

146.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 €961

$437 ฿14.3K

155.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,999 €4,304

$2,094 ฿68.5K

138.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 €1,510

$1,509 ฿49.3K

16.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,743 €3,223

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-0.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,314 €2,854

$2,616 ฿85.5K

26.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,096 €2,666

$508 ฿16.6K

509.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

5.33

-19.70%

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

Last update for Leeuwarden: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,513 in Leeuwarden versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 509% higher in Leeuwarden, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Leeuwarden versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Leeuwarden vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leeuwarden costs about 100% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,794 per month in Leeuwarden and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $966 per month in Leeuwarden and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Leeuwarden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Leeuwarden at $2,529. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leeuwarden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,529 in Leeuwarden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leeuwarden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.