Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Butare Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Butare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $375 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $602 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $828 in Butare.

Living in Phuket is roughly 237% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Butare 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.79 RWF 4,093

67.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

25.25%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.42 RWF 3,544

19.83%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.75 RWF 1,104

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.56 RWF 819

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.04 RWF 1,532

138.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.33 RWF 3,412

60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.33 RWF 482

472.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.84 RWF 1,238

67.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.93 RWF 1,364

74.19%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.59 RWF 2,326

40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$1.74 RWF 2,551

1040.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.35 RWF 3,446

48.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$3.10 RWF 4,542

266.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.08 RWF 3,055

39.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.92 RWF 1,352

86.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.12 RWF 1,640

102.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.78 RWF 1,147

173.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.40 RWF 584

267.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.26 RWF 379

446.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.14 RWF 199

685.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.86 RWF 1,254

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.06 RWF 3,023

109.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

83.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.02 RWF 1,489

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.51 RWF 2,214

96.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.66 RWF 3,909

16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.99 RWF 2,918

-45.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.44 RWF 5,044

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.71 RWF 2,504

-16.37%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

4.49%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

-9.21%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

26.68%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

61.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

-16.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$3.46 RWF 5,077

124.86%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$113 RWF 165.2K

412.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

23.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

265.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

87.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

332.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

166.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.2

-65.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $113 per month, with Butare 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 Butare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 237% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $563 in Butare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 143% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $375 in Butare – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $375 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.