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: $1,960 in Oranjestad versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,168 in Oranjestad versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,376 in Oranjestad versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 55% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oranjestad is 46% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 AWG 34.16

$4.56 ฿149

318.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 AWG 145

$46.63 ฿1,519

73.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 AWG 18.09

$8.47 ฿276

19.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 AWG 6.69

$3.03 ฿98.6

23.43%

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

$1.43 AWG 2.55

$0.69 ฿22.45

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.85

$0.37 ฿11.92

329.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$2.49 ฿81.0

17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 AWG 7.20

$3.66 ฿119

9.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 AWG 3.31

$2.18 ฿71.0

-15.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$1.90 ฿62.0

54.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.08

$2.20 ฿71.6

29.09%

Eggs

$5.36 AWG 9.60

$2.22 ฿72.4

141.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 AWG 22.31

$19.99 ฿651

-37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 AWG 16.42

$3.66 ฿119

150.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 AWG 21.98

$13.25 ฿432

-7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 AWG 8.35

$3.23 ฿105

44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$1.70 ฿55.3

31.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 AWG 8.75

$2.39 ฿78.0

104.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.10

$2.08 ฿67.7

63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 AWG 4.09

$1.59 ฿51.8

43.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.49

$1.48 ฿48.31

31.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 AWG 4.73

$1.03 ฿33.54

156.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$0.52 ฿16.83

194.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 AWG 17.58

$4.25 ฿138

131.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 AWG 17.55

$18.79 ฿612

-47.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 AWG 7.23

$1.76 ฿57.2

129.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 AWG 8.01

$2.76 ฿89.8

62.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.96

$1.36 ฿44.32

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 AWG 53.5

$11.36 ฿370

163.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 AWG 30.58

$3.14 ฿102

444.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 AWG 6.82

$1.04 ฿33.74

266.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 AWG 44.59

$13.77 ฿448

80.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$1.34 ฿43.79

14.18%

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

$26.2K AWG 46.8K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-5.50%

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

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

6.14%

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

$249 AWG 446

$124 ฿4,025

101.51%

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

$48.19 AWG 86.2

$13.52 ฿440

256.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$18.69 ฿609

459.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 AWG 193

$61.8 ฿2,013

74.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.44 AWG 45.52

$17.25 ฿562

47.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 AWG 21.76

$9.14 ฿298

33.04%

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

$246 AWG 440

$703 ฿22.9K

-65.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,439 AWG 15.1K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-46.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 AWG 108

$59.5 ฿1,937

1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 AWG 90.6

$35.07 ฿1,142

44.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AWG 198

$115 ฿3,754

-3.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

$84.1 ฿2,737

20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 AWG 1,227

$619 ฿20.1K

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 AWG 1,005

$433 ฿14.1K

29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 AWG 2,610

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-29.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 AWG 2,422

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-10.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 AWG 4,037

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-38.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 AWG 3,049

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-35.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 AWG 3,131

$507 ฿16.5K

244.99%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $686 in Oranjestad and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 245% 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: $81.0 in Oranjestad vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $293 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 55% in total monthly costs ($1,960 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Oranjestad pays 245% more on average, 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: $686 in Oranjestad versus $619 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 163% 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 $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,960 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 55% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.