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: $1,989 in Oranjestad versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,152 in Oranjestad versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,315 in Oranjestad versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 61% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oranjestad is 49% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 AWG 34.62

$4.63 ฿151

317.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 AWG 146

$46.84 ฿1,523

74.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 AWG 18.50

$8.84 ฿287

16.97%

Cappuccino

$3.63 AWG 6.49

$3.00 ฿97.4

21.00%

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

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$0.74 ฿24.11

98.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$0.37 ฿11.88

329.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 AWG 5.40

$2.44 ฿79.3

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 AWG 7.18

$3.61 ฿117

11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 AWG 3.35

$2.26 ฿73.5

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$1.84 ฿59.8

61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.06

$2.24 ฿73.0

26.34%

Eggs

$5.22 AWG 9.35

$2.32 ฿75.3

125.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 AWG 22.73

$19.67 ฿639

-35.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 AWG 16.93

$3.65 ฿119

159.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.53

$13.10 ฿426

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 AWG 8.50

$3.39 ฿110

40.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.64 ฿53.4

40.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 AWG 9.22

$2.41 ฿78.5

113.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 AWG 6.21

$2.03 ฿66.0

70.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 AWG 4.00

$1.56 ฿50.6

43.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 AWG 3.47

$1.50 ฿48.66

29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$1.02 ฿33.30

152.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AWG 2.75

$0.49 ฿15.91

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 AWG 17.98

$4.45 ฿145

125.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 AWG 18.30

$18.88 ฿614

-45.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 AWG 6.92

$1.78 ฿57.7

117.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 AWG 7.69

$2.75 ฿89.5

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AWG 3.98

$1.40 ฿45.54

58.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 AWG 54.5

$11.48 ฿373

165.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.12 AWG 30.64

$3.12 ฿101

448.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

$1.00 ฿32.48

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 AWG 44.13

$14.09 ฿458

74.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.35 ฿43.93

8.89%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-2.37%

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

$35.0K AWG 62.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

6.19%

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

$257 AWG 460

$125 ฿4,063

105.40%

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

$49.05 AWG 87.8

$13.57 ฿441

261.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$18.52 ฿602

464.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 AWG 192

$61.5 ฿1,999

74.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 AWG 45.79

$16.84 ฿547

51.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 AWG 21.67

$9.19 ฿299

31.77%

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

$246 AWG 440

$698 ฿22.7K

-64.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,715 AWG 15.6K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-44.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AWG 105

$57.8 ฿1,878

2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 AWG 89.5

$35.24 ฿1,146

41.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 193

$113 ฿3,677

-4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 AWG 184

$86.4 ฿2,808

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 AWG 1,220

$616 ฿20.0K

10.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 AWG 1,021

$446 ฿14.5K

27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AWG 2,636

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 AWG 2,428

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-9.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 AWG 4,059

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-39.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 AWG 3,092

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-34.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,692 AWG 3,029

$524 ฿17.0K

223.00%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Oranjestad and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 223% 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: $82.0 in Oranjestad vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $292 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 61% in total monthly costs ($1,989 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Oranjestad pays 223% 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: $682 in Oranjestad versus $616 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 165% 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 $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,989 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 61% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.