Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aruba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,873 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $5,038 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $7,204 in Aruba.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 56% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Aruba is 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$13.13 AWG 23.50

-65.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$91.6 AWG 164

-49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.91 AWG 17.74

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.82 AWG 8.62

-36.51%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.26 AWG 4.04

-67.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.98 AWG 3.55

-79.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.17 AWG 7.46

-41.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.95 AWG 10.65

-36.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-2.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.74 AWG 6.70

-51.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.90 AWG 6.99

-42.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$5.62 AWG 10.06

-59.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$32.28 AWG 57.8

-39.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.75 AWG 12.09

-45.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$16.71 AWG 29.91

-21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.95 AWG 10.64

-45.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.83 AWG 5.07

-42.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$7.05 AWG 12.61

-66.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$8.16 AWG 14.60

-75.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.96 AWG 7.09

-61.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.84 AWG 6.87

-60.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$5.95 AWG 10.64

-83.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$3.70 AWG 6.61

-85.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$17.43 AWG 31.20

-74.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.21 AWG 32.60

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$4.97 AWG 8.89

-46.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.44 AWG 2.57

-9.03%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$254 AWG 454

-51.71%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$130 AWG 233

-89.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$66.5 AWG 119

-71.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$61.2 AWG 109

-1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$12.96 AWG 23.19

-30.02%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$301 AWG 539

134.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

-11.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$49.11 AWG 87.9

19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$64.8 AWG 116

-45.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$119 AWG 214

-3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$730 AWG 1,307

-14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,389 AWG 2,485

-67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$3,245 AWG 5,807

-37.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$4,068 AWG 7,281

-63.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,939 AWG 3,470

-74.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aruba: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $730 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 288% 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 $92.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $529 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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Aruba differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $2,873 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 288% lower in Aruba. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $730 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $2,873 in Aruba – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,873 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Aruba. 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, Phuket and Aruba 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 130% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.