🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,523 in Acquarossa.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $5,404 in Acquarossa.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $7,284 in Acquarossa.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 65% less than in Acquarossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Acquarossa is 164% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$30.20CHF 24.46
-84.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$146CHF 118
-68.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$20.59CHF 16.68
-57.07%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$6.91CHF 5.60
-55.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$5.83CHF 4.72
-87.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$5.22CHF 4.23
-92.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$10.05CHF 8.14
-75.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$8.70CHF 7.05
-56.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$2.26CHF 1.83
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$3.29CHF 2.66
-44.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$4.10CHF 3.32
-45.12%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$7.52CHF 6.09
-70.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$30.19CHF 24.46
-35.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$33.03CHF 26.76
-88.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$49.58CHF 40.16
-73.68%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$4.22CHF 3.42
-23.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.88CHF 2.33
-43.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.08CHF 2.50
-22.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$5.24CHF 4.24
-61.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.86CHF 2.31
-46.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.30CHF 1.87
-34.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$2.59CHF 2.10
-62.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.66CHF 1.35
-68.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$10.99CHF 8.90
-59.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$13.45CHF 10.89
36.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.65CHF 2.14
-29.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$3.25CHF 2.63
-17.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$4.01CHF 3.25
-64.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$99.9CHF 80.9
-88.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$7.52CHF 6.09
-58.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$4.30CHF 3.48
-75.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$88.7CHF 71.8
-84.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$2.22CHF 1.80
-40.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$40.9KCHF 33.1K
-31.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$39.8KCHF 32.2K
-16.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$256CHF 207
-52.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$36.29CHF 29.39
-62.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$59.7CHF 48.33
-68.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$89.5CHF 72.5
-32.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$24.84CHF 20.12
-63.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$3,353CHF 2,716
-78.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$39.1KCHF 31.6K
-59.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$139CHF 112
-57.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$52.1CHF 42.21
-32.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$147CHF 119
-21.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$205CHF 166
-59.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$1,690CHF 1,369
-62.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$1,447CHF 1,172
-69.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$2,865CHF 2,321
-28.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$2,502CHF 2,027
-40.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$15.5KCHF 12.5K
-77.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$11.2KCHF 9,055
-76.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Acquarossa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$12.3KCHF 9,943
-95.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.09
155.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Acquarossa: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,690 in Acquarossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Acquarossa pays 2356% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $146 in Acquarossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $673 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
Phuket vs Acquarossa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Acquarossa?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 182% lower than in Acquarossa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Acquarossa?
On paper, salaries run 2356% lower in Acquarossa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Acquarossa?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $1,690 in Acquarossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Acquarossa?
Supermarket bills run roughly 133% higher in Acquarossa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Acquarossa?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $146 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Acquarossa?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,523 in Acquarossa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Acquarossa. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Acquarossa?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Acquarossa?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Acquarossa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.