😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $955 in Curepipe.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,494 in Curepipe.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,034 in Curepipe.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than Curepipe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Curepipe29% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$3.38MUR 158
36.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$44.42MUR 2,078
5.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.63MUR 216
90.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.63MUR 123
14.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.95MUR 44.50
-22.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.61MUR 28.38
-39.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.77MUR 83.1
37.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.82MUR 132
28.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.33MUR 62.3
69.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.65MUR 30.56
183.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.32MUR 61.7
69.70%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.25MUR 105
3.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$7.76MUR 363
153.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.37MUR 298
-42.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$8.39MUR 392
56.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.00MUR 93.5
69.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.81MUR 84.8
-9.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.44MUR 67.5
67.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.71MUR 127
-25.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.96MUR 45.04
62.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.93MUR 43.29
61.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.84MUR 39.48
21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.53MUR 24.97
-7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.77MUR 270
-22.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.04MUR 329
168.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.66MUR 77.6
7.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.02MUR 94.7
36.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.92MUR 42.99
52.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$36.91MUR 1,727
-68.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.34MUR 156
-6.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.68MUR 126
-62.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$4.43MUR 207
218.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.46MUR 68.5
-7.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
-4.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.8KMUR 1.3M
14.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$49.39MUR 2,311
153.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.38MUR 860
-26.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$30.40MUR 1,423
-39.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$17.66MUR 826
248.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$2.24MUR 105
651.79%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.07MUR 284
51.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$157MUR 7,323
346.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,168MUR 148.2K
392.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$40.41MUR 1,891
42.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$33.91MUR 1,587
3.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$73.4MUR 3,434
54.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$74.1MUR 3,466
16.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$508MUR 23.8K
21.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$360MUR 16.8K
23.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$1,010MUR 47.2K
102.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$665MUR 31.1K
124.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$735MUR 34.4K
413.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$652MUR 30.5K
306.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$665MUR 31.1K
-21.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.5
-3.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Curepipe: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $508 in Curepipe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Curepipe pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Curepipe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $196 per month, with Curepipe 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 Curepipe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Curepipe cheaper than Phuket?
Curepipe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Curepipe?
On paper, Curepipe earns 27% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Curepipe?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $508 in Curepipe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Curepipe runs roughly 222% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $157 in Curepipe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Curepipe?
At $955 in Curepipe versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curepipe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Curepipe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Curepipe more family-friendly?
For families, Curepipe is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Curepipe?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Curepipe 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Curepipe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.