Cost of Living Comparison Between Middelburg and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Middelburg and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,396 per month in Middelburg vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,540 per month in Middelburg vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,684 per month in Middelburg vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Middelburg costs about 95% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Middelburg sits 75% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.95 €12.16

$4.41 ฿147

216.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.4 €81.4

$32.26 ฿1,077

189.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.92

$8.93 ฿298

40.20%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.76

$2.90 ฿96.6

48.62%

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

$3.43 €2.99

$0.88 ฿29.38

289.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.91

$0.48 ฿16.06

593.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 €6.15

$2.35 ฿78.5

200.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 €6.26

$3.72 ฿124

93.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.87 ฿62.3

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.47 ฿48.94

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.55 ฿51.8

36.77%

Eggs

$4.59 €4.00

$2.10 ฿70.1

118.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 €11.33

$19.59 ฿654

-33.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.16 €11.47

$3.42 ฿114

284.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 €17.01

$11.38 ฿380

71.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 €2.34

$2.98 ฿99.6

-10.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.68 ฿56.2

41.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.21 ฿73.7

-7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.20

$2.16 ฿72.1

70.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.52 ฿50.9

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.34 ฿44.67

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.13 ฿37.67

1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.55 ฿18.24

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 €10.63

$4.26 ฿142

186.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 €5.39

$19.09 ฿637

-67.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.78 ฿59.4

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$2.78 ฿92.9

-30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 €4.23

$3.03 ฿101

60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 €3.15

$1.02 ฿34.15

254.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.04 €29.68

$3.89 ฿130

775.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.88

$1.49 ฿49.77

44.30%

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

$42.2K €36.7K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

58.60%

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

$40.7K €35.5K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

50.68%

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

$150 €131

$102 ฿3,420

46.42%

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

$28.94 €25.23

$11.33 ฿378

155.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 €48.52

$17.40 ฿581

219.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.65 €40.66

$52.1 ฿1,738

-10.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.61 €12.73

$11.07 ฿370

31.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 €8.97

$7.69 ฿257

33.81%

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

$2,495 €2,175

$561 ฿18.7K

345.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

4.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 €86.2

$63.0 ฿2,104

56.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.31 €39.50

$29.52 ฿986

53.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.6

$98.0 ฿3,272

11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €124

$88.5 ฿2,954

61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 €1,263

$738 ฿24.6K

96.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 €1,126

$482 ฿16.1K

167.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 €1,803

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 €1,738

$1,226 ฿40.9K

62.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,407 €3,841

$494 ฿16.5K

792.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

5.57

-38.96%

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

Last update for Middelburg: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,449 in Middelburg 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 793% higher in Middelburg, 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 $93.0 in Middelburg versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 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

Middelburg vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Middelburg is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,595 per month in Middelburg 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 $2,396 in Middelburg and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $2,495 per month in Middelburg and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Middelburg at $2,396. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Middelburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Middelburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.