Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,681 per month in Maastricht vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,780 per month in Maastricht vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,880 per month in Maastricht vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Maastricht costs about 118% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maastricht sits 96% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 €18.02

$4.41 ฿147

369.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 €79.1

$32.26 ฿1,074

181.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 €11.03

$8.93 ฿297

41.88%

Cappuccino

$4.59 €4.00

$2.90 ฿96.4

58.28%

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

$3.86 €3.36

$0.88 ฿29.30

338.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.67

$0.48 ฿16.01

539.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 €7.62

$2.35 ฿78.3

272.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.04

$3.72 ฿124

55.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.87 ฿62.1

-28.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.16

$1.47 ฿48.81

68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.55 ฿51.7

78.06%

Eggs

$4.61 €4.01

$2.10 ฿70.0

119.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 €13.00

$19.59 ฿652

-23.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.39

$3.42 ฿114

316.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 €14.34

$11.38 ฿379

44.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.35

$2.98 ฿99.3

-9.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$1.68 ฿56.1

56.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.21 ฿73.5

-11.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 €4.04

$2.16 ฿72.0

114.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.52 ฿50.8

32.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$1.34 ฿44.55

82.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.13 ฿37.57

17.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.76

$0.55 ฿18.19

58.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 €12.37

$4.26 ฿142

233.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 €5.91

$19.09 ฿635

-64.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.78 ฿59.2

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.78 ฿92.6

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.74

$2.23 ฿74.2

40.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.2 €82.0

$22.74 ฿757

314.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.38 €9.91

$3.03 ฿101

275.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €2.98

$1.02 ฿34.06

235.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 €25.21

$3.89 ฿130

644.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 €2.11

$1.49 ฿49.63

63.09%

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

$43.1K €37.5K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

62.24%

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

$40.9K €35.6K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

51.38%

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

$308 €268

$102 ฿3,411

200.19%

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

$18.02 €15.68

$11.33 ฿377

59.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €44.05

$17.40 ฿579

190.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.07 €41.84

$52.1 ฿1,734

-7.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.15 €25.37

$11.07 ฿369

163.32%

Cinema Ticket

$16.07 €13.98

$7.69 ฿256

108.97%

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

$1,272 €1,107

$561 ฿18.7K

126.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 €72.5

$63.0 ฿2,098

32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 €33.68

$29.52 ฿983

31.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €100

$98.0 ฿3,263

17.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$88.5 ฿2,946

48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,162

$738 ฿24.6K

80.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 €1,048

$482 ฿16.1K

149.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 €1,896

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 €1,545

$1,226 ฿40.8K

44.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,469 €4,760

$3,617 ฿120.4K

51.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,625 €3,155

$2,603 ฿86.7K

39.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,957

$494 ฿16.4K

588.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.57

-20.65%

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

Last update for Maastricht: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Maastricht versus $738 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 588% higher in Maastricht, 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 $91.0 in Maastricht versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $274 – 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

Maastricht vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maastricht costs about 118% 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 $4,021 per month in Maastricht and $1,847 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,681 in Maastricht and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 314% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Maastricht at $2,681. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maastricht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,681 in Maastricht. 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, Maastricht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.