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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $366 in Byumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $605 in Byumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $845 in Byumba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 246% more than Byumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Byumba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Byumba 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.20 RWF 6,125

11.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.37 RWF 39.9K

65.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.78 RWF 9,898

24.34%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.23 RWF 3,259

31.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.80 RWF 1,171

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.53 RWF 766

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.01 RWF 1,476

138.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.07 RWF 3,019

79.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.70 RWF 1,024

218.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.02 RWF 1,491

79.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.24 RWF 1,815

75.00%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.71 RWF 2,497

29.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.99 RWF 5,827

394.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.42 RWF 6,441

-17.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.63 RWF 5,299

272.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.45 RWF 3,576

33.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.95 RWF 1,383

69.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.47 RWF 2,147

63.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.10 RWF 1,603

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.48 RWF 696

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.80 RWF 1,173

85.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.50 RWF 735

98.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.81 RWF 1,181

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.69 RWF 2,465

160.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.11 RWF 14.8K

91.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.92 RWF 1,337

93.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.79 RWF 2,610

51.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.19 RWF 4,656

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.44 RWF 2,103

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.90 RWF 5,688

261.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.15 RWF 1,671

18.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.0K RWF 39.4M

4.33%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

9.24%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$47.28 RWF 69.0K

157.40%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.05 RWF 13.2K

49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.00 RWF 26.3K

1.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.50 RWF 5,100

148.29%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$157 RWF 228.6K

342.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,045 RWF 7.4M

210.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$16.88 RWF 24.6K

252.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$19.06 RWF 27.8K

82.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$24.77 RWF 36.1K

362.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$31.47 RWF 45.9K

164.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$341 RWF 498.1K

79.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.2

-67.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Byumba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $341 in Byumba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Byumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $146 – 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 246% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $549 in Byumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Byumba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Byumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% 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 $366, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $366 versus $1,265 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.