Cost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
๐A single person spends $2,089 per month in Mortsel vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $3,206 per month in Mortsel vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Mortsel vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.
๐Mortsel costs about 65% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Mortsel sits 56% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.75โฌ19.41
$4.66เธฟ150
388.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$114โฌ97.5
$46.44เธฟ1,496
145.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.48โฌ10.64
$8.68เธฟ280
43.78%
Cappuccino
$4.05โฌ3.45
$2.95เธฟ95.0
37.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42โฌ2.92
$0.70เธฟ22.52
388.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16โฌ2.70
$0.39เธฟ12.70
710.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.62โฌ4.80
$2.53เธฟ81.6
122.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55โฌ3.88
$3.78เธฟ122
20.37%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.35โฌ1.16
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-39.19%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75โฌ2.34
$1.80เธฟ57.8
52.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.39โฌ2.04
$2.19เธฟ70.4
9.13%
Eggs
$4.29โฌ3.66
$2.31เธฟ74.5
85.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.10โฌ14.58
$19.34เธฟ623
-11.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.62โฌ9.91
$3.77เธฟ121
208.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.93โฌ18.71
$13.22เธฟ426
65.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.92โฌ2.49
$3.33เธฟ107
-12.31%
Banana(1kg)
$2.33โฌ1.99
$1.65เธฟ53.1
41.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29โฌ1.96
$2.29เธฟ73.7
-
Tomato(1kg)
$3.00โฌ2.56
$1.99เธฟ64.1
50.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92โฌ1.64
$1.53เธฟ49.24
25.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14โฌ1.82
$1.51เธฟ48.77
41.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31โฌ1.12
$1.03เธฟ33.12
27.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87โฌ0.75
$0.51เธฟ16.57
70.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.62โฌ10.77
$4.41เธฟ142
186.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.21โฌ7.85
$19.41เธฟ625
-52.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94โฌ1.65
$1.80เธฟ58.0
7.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34โฌ2.00
$2.68เธฟ86.4
-12.69%
๐ Getting Around
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.53โฌ2.16
$1.43เธฟ46.11
76.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.3โฌ48.91
$11.70เธฟ377
390.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.76โฌ4.92
$3.04เธฟ97.9
89.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.50โฌ2.13
$1.04เธฟ33.37
140.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$46.16โฌ39.38
$13.68เธฟ441
237.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83โฌ1.56
$1.30เธฟ41.85
40.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4Kโฌ28.5K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
19.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7Kโฌ27.9K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-0.88%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227โฌ193
$123เธฟ3,962
84.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.68โฌ19.34
$13.82เธฟ445
64.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.4โฌ43.01
$18.86เธฟ608
167.34%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.30โฌ32.67
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-37.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12โฌ14.60
$16.81เธฟ541
1.84%
Cinema Ticket
$14.97โฌ12.77
$8.87เธฟ286
68.77%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568โฌ484
$696เธฟ22.4K
-18.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3Kโฌ11.4K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
-16.99%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112โฌ95.6
$59.3เธฟ1,910
89.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.99โฌ41.79
$34.85เธฟ1,123
40.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105โฌ89.2
$113เธฟ3,646
-7.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163โฌ139
$85.1เธฟ2,740
91.98%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$908โฌ774
$615เธฟ19.8K
47.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$754โฌ643
$448เธฟ14.4K
68.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,361โฌ1,161
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
-34.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,106โฌ943
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
-26.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,543โฌ3,022
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-5.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,535โฌ2,163
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
-4.75%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Mortsel
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,477โฌ2,113
$534เธฟ17.2K
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
๐ 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.
๐ฐSalaries 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.
๐A 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.