Cost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,089 per month in Mortsel vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,206 per month in Mortsel vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Mortsel vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Mortsel costs about 65% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mortsel sits 56% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.75 โ‚ฌ19.41
$4.66 เธฟ150
388.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$114 โ‚ฌ97.5
$46.44 เธฟ1,496
145.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.48 โ‚ฌ10.64
$8.68 เธฟ280
43.78%
Cappuccino
$4.05 โ‚ฌ3.45
$2.95 เธฟ95.0
37.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 โ‚ฌ2.92
$0.70 เธฟ22.52
388.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 โ‚ฌ2.70
$0.39 เธฟ12.70
710.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 โ‚ฌ4.80
$2.53 เธฟ81.6
122.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 โ‚ฌ3.88
$3.78 เธฟ122
20.37%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 โ‚ฌ1.16
$2.22 เธฟ71.5
-39.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 โ‚ฌ2.34
$1.80 เธฟ57.8
52.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 โ‚ฌ2.04
$2.19 เธฟ70.4
9.13%
Eggs
$4.29 โ‚ฌ3.66
$2.31 เธฟ74.5
85.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.10 โ‚ฌ14.58
$19.34 เธฟ623
-11.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 โ‚ฌ9.91
$3.77 เธฟ121
208.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.93 โ‚ฌ18.71
$13.22 เธฟ426
65.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 โ‚ฌ2.49
$3.33 เธฟ107
-12.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 โ‚ฌ1.99
$1.65 เธฟ53.1
41.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 โ‚ฌ1.96
$2.29 เธฟ73.7
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.00 โ‚ฌ2.56
$1.99 เธฟ64.1
50.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.64
$1.53 เธฟ49.24
25.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 โ‚ฌ1.82
$1.51 เธฟ48.77
41.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 โ‚ฌ1.12
$1.03 เธฟ33.12
27.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 โ‚ฌ0.75
$0.51 เธฟ16.57
70.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.62 โ‚ฌ10.77
$4.41 เธฟ142
186.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.21 โ‚ฌ7.85
$19.41 เธฟ625
-52.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.65
$1.80 เธฟ58.0
7.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.00
$2.68 เธฟ86.4
-12.69%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.53 โ‚ฌ2.16
$1.43 เธฟ46.11
76.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.3 โ‚ฌ48.91
$11.70 เธฟ377
390.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.76 โ‚ฌ4.92
$3.04 เธฟ97.9
89.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 โ‚ฌ2.13
$1.04 เธฟ33.37
140.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.16 โ‚ฌ39.38
$13.68 เธฟ441
237.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 โ‚ฌ1.56
$1.30 เธฟ41.85
40.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K โ‚ฌ28.5K
$27.9K เธฟ898.9K
19.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K โ‚ฌ27.9K
$33.0K เธฟ1.1M
-0.88%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 โ‚ฌ193
$123 เธฟ3,962
84.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.68 โ‚ฌ19.34
$13.82 เธฟ445
64.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.4 โ‚ฌ43.01
$18.86 เธฟ608
167.34%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.30 โ‚ฌ32.67
$61.2 เธฟ1,970
-37.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 โ‚ฌ14.60
$16.81 เธฟ541
1.84%
Cinema Ticket
$14.97 โ‚ฌ12.77
$8.87 เธฟ286
68.77%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 โ‚ฌ484
$696 เธฟ22.4K
-18.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K โ‚ฌ11.4K
$16.1K เธฟ517.4K
-16.99%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112 โ‚ฌ95.6
$59.3 เธฟ1,910
89.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.99 โ‚ฌ41.79
$34.85 เธฟ1,123
40.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 โ‚ฌ89.2
$113 เธฟ3,646
-7.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 โ‚ฌ139
$85.1 เธฟ2,740
91.98%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 โ‚ฌ774
$615 เธฟ19.8K
47.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$754 โ‚ฌ643
$448 เธฟ14.4K
68.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,361 โ‚ฌ1,161
$2,085 เธฟ67.2K
-34.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 โ‚ฌ943
$1,496 เธฟ48.2K
-26.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,543 โ‚ฌ3,022
$3,734 เธฟ120.3K
-5.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,535 โ‚ฌ2,163
$2,662 เธฟ85.8K
-4.75%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,477 โ‚ฌ2,113
$534 เธฟ17.2K
364.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
5.33
-34.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mortsel: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $908 in Mortsel versus $615 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 364% higher in Mortsel, 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 $114 in Mortsel versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $291 โ€“ 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
Mortsel vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mortsel?
Yes โ€“ Mortsel is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,133 per month in Mortsel and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Mortsel and Phuket?
Groceries cost about 22% more in Mortsel, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Mortsel or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $114 in Mortsel and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Mortsel or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Mortsel at $2,089. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mortsel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mortsel or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Mortsel or Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mortsel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Mortsel vs other spots: cost of living compared

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