Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Byumba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Byumba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $413 in Byumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $646 in Byumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $880 in Byumba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 204% more than Byumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Byumba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Byumba 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$2.32 RWF 3,408

96.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$27.63 RWF 40.5K

18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.68 RWF 9,791

33.23%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.34 RWF 3,432

19.66%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.77 RWF 1,136

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.54 RWF 794

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.05 RWF 1,533

127.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.62 RWF 3,847

41.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.74 RWF 1,080

141.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.03 RWF 1,513

39.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.31 RWF 1,926

20.61%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.61 RWF 2,355

32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$4.29 RWF 6,296

364.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.43 RWF 6,499

-22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$4.24 RWF 6,209

167.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.43 RWF 3,570

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.83 RWF 1,219

107.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.54 RWF 2,254

50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.99 RWF 1,456

110.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.50 RWF 738

194.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.72 RWF 1,060

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.68 RWF 1,001

61.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.80 RWF 1,178

-28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.03 RWF 2,969

110.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$10.26 RWF 15.0K

79.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.90 RWF 1,317

107.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.60 RWF 2,345

82.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.78 RWF 4,070

8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.99 RWF 2,918

-46.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.42 RWF 5,007

14.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.79 RWF 2,624

-16.76%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$26.1K RWF 38.3M

3.92%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$30.1K RWF 44.1M

-8.73%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$85.2 RWF 124.9K

20.69%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$7.12 RWF 10.4K

54.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$20.95 RWF 30.7K

-16.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$3.39 RWF 4,969

120.65%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$114 RWF 167.8K

386.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$6,675 RWF 9.8M

77.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$17.30 RWF 25.4K

270.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$15.37 RWF 22.5K

89.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$22.50 RWF 33.0K

326.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$33.35 RWF 48.9K

170.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Byumba: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Byumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $149 – making Byumba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Byumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 204% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $619 in Byumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Byumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Byumba, where all-in costs run around $413, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Byumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Byumba costs $413 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Byumba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.