Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nijmegen and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,659 in Nijmegen, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nijmegen, Netherlands
Phuket, Thailand
Nijmegen
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,659
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nijmegen and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nijmegen and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Nijmegen versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Nijmegen $2,659
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,957 in Nijmegen versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Nijmegen $3,957
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,254 in Nijmegen versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Nijmegen $5,254
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Nijmegen is roughly 108% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nijmegen is 95% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.61 €24.73
$4.47 ฿151
517.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 €89.7
$32.41 ฿1,093
208.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.66 €13.13
$8.81 ฿297
66.40%
Cappuccino
$4.25 €3.81
$2.83 ฿95.4
50.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 €3.36
$0.87 ฿29.41
331.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.31
$0.49 ฿16.65
426.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.72 €5.13
$2.56 ฿86.3
123.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 €5.35
$3.68 ฿124
62.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.66 ฿55.9
-11.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.46 ฿49.31
45.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.38 €2.13
$1.50 ฿50.5
58.67%
Eggs
$5.34 €4.78
$2.09 ฿70.5
155.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.26 €11.87
$19.07 ฿643
-30.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.94 €12.49
$3.30 ฿111
322.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.76 €15.01
$10.91 ฿368
53.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 €2.50
$2.93 ฿98.9
-4.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 €2.21
$1.69 ฿57.0
46.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$2.25 ฿75.8
-5.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.27 €4.72
$2.08 ฿70.0
153.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$1.51 ฿51.0
38.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 €2.10
$1.38 ฿46.52
69.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.07 ฿35.96
19.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.72
$0.52 ฿17.51
55.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.91 €12.46
$4.20 ฿142
231.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.10 €6.36
$18.79 ฿634
-62.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.82 ฿61.5
-16.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 €2.36
$2.84 ฿95.8
-7.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.37 €3.02
$1.45 ฿48.98
132.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$140 €125
$56.7 ฿1,912
147.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.04 €3.62
$3.02 ฿102
33.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.24 €2.90
$1.02 ฿34.33
217.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.88 €40.20
$3.69 ฿125
1116.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.36 €2.11
$1.47 ฿49.76
60.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.3K €37.0K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
54.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K €35.3K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
47.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$286 €256
$96.4 ฿3,251
196.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.86 €20.47
$11.26 ฿380
103.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.72 €38.26
$16.85 ฿568
153.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.15 €28.79
$67.2 ฿2,268
-52.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.69 €22.11
$10.73 ฿362
130.10%
Cinema Ticket
$15.89 €14.23
$7.50 ฿253
111.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,160 €2,830
$476 ฿16.1K
563.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
46.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €85.2
$62.4 ฿2,104
52.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.46 €38.93
$28.41 ฿958
52.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €93.2
$94.3 ฿3,181
10.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$169 €152
$85.8 ฿2,895
97.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,638 €1,467
$716 ฿24.2K
128.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 €1,038
$491 ฿16.6K
136.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,663 €2,385
$1,927 ฿65.0K
38.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,863 €1,668
$1,431 ฿48.3K
30.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,131 €5,491
$4,175 ฿140.9K
46.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,428 €3,966
$3,045 ฿102.7K
45.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nijmegen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,367 €3,016
$502 ฿16.9K
570.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
5.57
-28.19%

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

Last update for Nijmegen: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nijmegen
$1.2K
Phuket
$491 57.7% $669
Eating Out
Nijmegen
$382
Phuket
$122 68.1% $260
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nijmegen
$352
Phuket
$124 64.6% $227
Groceries & Markets
Nijmegen
$343
Phuket
$266 22.4% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Nijmegen
$185
Phuket
$122 34.2% $63
Getting Around
Nijmegen
$174
Phuket
$71 59.4% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Nijmegen
$64
Phuket
$82 28.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,638 in Nijmegen and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nijmegen pays about 6.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $100 in Nijmegen vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Nijmegen
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
23:38 11:38 PM
05:38 5:38 AM
6 h ahead of Nijmegen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
177,359
79,308
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nijmegen Phuket 9,490 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nijmegen
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nijmegen vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Nijmegen?
Phuket is about 52% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nijmegen or Phuket?
Average pay in Nijmegen is about 6.7 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Nijmegen and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,638 in Nijmegen versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Nijmegen or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $100 in Nijmegen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Nijmegen and in Phuket?
All in, you’ll spend $2,659 per month in Nijmegen versus $1,278 in Phuket – Phuket is about 52% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nijmegen or in Phuket?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,659 in Nijmegen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Nijmegen. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nijmegen or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nijmegen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Nijmegen or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Nijmegen and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Nijmegen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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