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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,563 per month in Maastricht vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,667 per month in Maastricht vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Maastricht vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Maastricht costs about 103% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maastricht sits 91% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 €16.97

$4.70 ฿154

319.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.8

$45.37 ฿1,483

50.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 €10.98

$8.43 ฿276

51.25%

Cappuccino

$4.23 €3.64

$2.93 ฿95.7

44.37%

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

$3.47 €2.99

$0.69 ฿22.42

402.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.29

$0.37 ฿12.00

616.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.11

$2.41 ฿78.7

194.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.06

$3.72 ฿122

57.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$2.23 ฿73.0

-39.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.83 ฿59.9

29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 €2.74

$2.17 ฿70.9

46.54%

Eggs

$4.44 €3.83

$2.21 ฿72.4

100.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.47 €11.60

$19.74 ฿645

-31.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.37 €13.24

$3.63 ฿119

323.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 €14.31

$13.53 ฿442

22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$3.28 ฿107

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.13

$1.61 ฿52.7

54.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.41 ฿78.7

-17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 €3.19

$2.08 ฿68.1

78.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.53 ฿49.97

34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.48 ฿48.41

34.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.99 ฿32.32

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.51 ฿16.68

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 €12.23

$4.41 ฿144

222.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 €5.96

$19.38 ฿634

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.78 ฿58.1

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.71 ฿88.7

4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 €3.54

$1.37 ฿44.83

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 €80.7

$11.39 ฿372

722.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.73 €10.10

$3.02 ฿98.7

288.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.84

$0.99 ฿32.51

115.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.40 €25.32

$14.10 ฿461

108.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.36 ฿44.55

62.50%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

31.35%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-0.57%

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

$348 €300

$122 ฿3,978

185.83%

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

$25.05 €21.57

$13.57 ฿444

84.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.85 €42.93

$18.31 ฿599

172.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.81 €39.45

$60.2 ฿1,969

-23.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 €24.45

$17.14 ฿560

65.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 €13.14

$8.69 ฿284

75.60%

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

$1,569 €1,351

$693 ฿22.7K

126.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,008 €6,896

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 €78.0

$59.5 ฿1,946

52.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 €32.72

$34.77 ฿1,137

9.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €103

$115 ฿3,746

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$83.3 ฿2,723

59.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 €1,138

$613 ฿20.0K

115.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 €933

$437 ฿14.3K

147.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 €1,971

$2,094 ฿68.5K

9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 €1,503

$1,509 ฿49.3K

15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,552 €4,781

$3,749 ฿122.6K

48.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,719 €3,202

$2,616 ฿85.5K

42.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 €2,948

$508 ฿16.6K

573.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

5.33

-18.57%

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

Last update for Maastricht: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,321 in Maastricht 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 574% 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 $68.0 in Maastricht 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

Maastricht vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maastricht costs about 103% 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 $3,844 per month in Maastricht 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,563 in Maastricht and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 723% 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 $1,265, than in Maastricht at $2,563. 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 $1,265 versus $2,563 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.