Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,985 in Oranjestad versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Oranjestad versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,279 in Oranjestad versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 57% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oranjestad is 49% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.90 AWG 33.83

$4.48 ฿150

321.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 AWG 144

$45.59 ฿1,521

76.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 AWG 18.70

$8.76 ฿292

19.29%

Cappuccino

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$2.97 ฿99.0

25.93%

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

$1.41 AWG 2.52

$0.69 ฿22.90

104.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 AWG 2.89

$0.39 ฿13.04

312.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 AWG 5.27

$2.53 ฿84.4

16.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 AWG 7.07

$3.75 ฿125

5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 AWG 3.40

$2.15 ฿71.6

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 AWG 5.40

$1.82 ฿60.6

65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 AWG 5.17

$2.18 ฿72.9

32.57%

Eggs

$5.31 AWG 9.50

$2.25 ฿75.0

136.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 AWG 22.48

$20.00 ฿667

-37.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 AWG 16.22

$3.63 ฿121

149.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 AWG 22.05

$13.56 ฿452

-9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 AWG 8.24

$3.24 ฿108

42.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 AWG 4.12

$1.64 ฿54.6

40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 AWG 8.84

$2.33 ฿77.8

112.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 AWG 6.34

$2.07 ฿69.1

71.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$1.55 ฿51.6

43.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.48

$1.46 ฿48.54

33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 AWG 4.78

$0.98 ฿32.86

172.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 AWG 2.83

$0.48 ฿16.09

229.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 AWG 17.80

$4.35 ฿145

128.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 AWG 18.34

$18.57 ฿620

-44.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 AWG 6.99

$1.86 ฿61.9

110.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 AWG 7.94

$2.65 ฿88.6

67.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.95

$1.42 ฿47.28

55.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 AWG 53.0

$11.57 ฿386

155.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 AWG 30.70

$3.17 ฿106

441.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.79 AWG 6.78

$1.03 ฿34.41

267.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 AWG 44.07

$13.89 ฿463

77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 AWG 2.73

$1.34 ฿44.84

14.18%

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

$26.4K AWG 47.3K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-4.96%

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

$35.5K AWG 63.6K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

6.46%

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

$250 AWG 447

$123 ฿4,105

103.07%

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

$48.78 AWG 87.3

$13.77 ฿459

254.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 189

$18.33 ฿611

475.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 AWG 189

$60.7 ฿2,025

73.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 AWG 47.09

$17.16 ฿573

53.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 AWG 21.21

$8.87 ฿296

33.60%

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

$246 AWG 441

$688 ฿22.9K

-64.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,679 AWG 15.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-45.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 AWG 107

$59.3 ฿1,978

1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 AWG 89.6

$34.69 ฿1,157

44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 194

$115 ฿3,843

-5.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 183

$83.8 ฿2,794

22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 AWG 1,198

$621 ฿20.7K

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 AWG 1,033

$446 ฿14.9K

29.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 AWG 2,596

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 AWG 2,436

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-9.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 AWG 3,944

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-36.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,736 AWG 3,107

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-31.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 AWG 3,108

$494 ฿16.5K

251.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

5.33

17.26%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Oranjestad and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 252% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Oranjestad vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $291 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Oranjestad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oranjestad and Phuket differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,985 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 252% higher in Oranjestad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $669 in Oranjestad versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 156% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $246 in Oranjestad versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,985 in Oranjestad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Oranjestad and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.