Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alkmaar

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,394 in Alkmaar, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Alkmaar
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,394
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Alkmaar

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,394 in Alkmaar.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Alkmaar $2,394

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,536 in Alkmaar.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Alkmaar $3,536

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $4,677 in Alkmaar.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Alkmaar $4,677

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Alkmaar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Alkmaar is 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$29.74 €26.45
-85.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$88.1 €78.3
-63.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$14.67 €13.05
-40.29%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$3.96 €3.52
-28.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$3.19 €2.83
-71.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$2.47 €2.20
-80.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$5.75 €5.12
-55.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$4.57 €4.06
-16.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.43 €1.27
20.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$2.37 €2.10
-37.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$3.45 €3.07
-56.23%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$4.90 €4.36
-55.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$14.23 €12.66
38.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$15.08 €13.41
-77.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$16.85 €14.99
-33.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$2.54 €2.26
12.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$2.47 €2.20
-31.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.84 €1.64
19.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$4.25 €3.78
-51.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.94 €1.73
-25.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$2.15 €1.91
-35.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.28 €1.13
-16.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.80 €0.71
-36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$12.78 €11.37
-66.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$6.89 €6.13
169.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.34 €1.19
32.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$2.19 €1.95
30.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$2.20 €1.96
2.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$57.9 €51.5
-61.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$2.75 €2.44
9.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$1.63 €1.45
-34.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$24.82 €22.07
-84.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$2.24 €1.99
-35.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$41.3K €36.7K
-36.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$38.6K €34.4K
-30.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$242 €216
-60.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$20.63 €18.35
-46.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$46.41 €41.28
-63.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$46.05 €40.96
13.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$6.11 €5.44
82.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$15.00 €13.34
-47.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$726 €645
-23.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$2,393 €2,128
384.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$116 €103
-44.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$46.67 €41.51
-38.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$109 €97.3
-12.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$118 €105
-25.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$778 €692
-5.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$1,020 €907
-54.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$2,855 €2,539
-26.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$1,576 €1,401
-23.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$4,974 €4,424
-29.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$4,169 €3,709
-39.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Alkmaar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$3,317 €2,950
-84.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4
39.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alkmaar: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Alkmaar
$1K 121% $557
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Alkmaar
$346 28.8% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Alkmaar
$309 148% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Alkmaar
$176 41.4% $51
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Alkmaar
$390 222% $269
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Alkmaar
$76 12.2% $8.3
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Alkmaar
$78 96.8% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $778 in Alkmaar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alkmaar pays 562% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $88.0 in Alkmaar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $346 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇱 Alkmaar
🕒 Local time
19:35 7:35 PM
14:35 2:35 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
111,834
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Alkmaar 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Alkmaar

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
Phuket vs Alkmaar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Alkmaar?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Alkmaar. 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 Alkmaar?
On paper, salaries run 562% lower in Alkmaar. 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 Alkmaar?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $778 in Alkmaar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Alkmaar?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 162% less than in Alkmaar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Alkmaar?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $726 in Alkmaar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Alkmaar?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,394 in Alkmaar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Alkmaar. 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 Alkmaar?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,208 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 Alkmaar?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Alkmaar 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 98% less than in Alkmaar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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