Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Curepipe

For one person, living is cheaper in Curepipe: $998 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Curepipe, Mauritius
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Curepipe
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$998
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Curepipe

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Curepipe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $998 in Curepipe.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Curepipe $998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,564 in Curepipe.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Curepipe $1,564

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,129 in Curepipe.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Curepipe $2,129

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Curepipe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Curepipe 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$3.15 MUR 147
41.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$38.01 MUR 1,771
-14.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$5.21 MUR 243
69.10%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.68 MUR 125
5.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.40
$1.06 MUR 49.29
-17.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.67 MUR 31.40
-26.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.72 MUR 80.0
48.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$2.72 MUR 127
35.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.60 MUR 74.5
3.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.29
$0.74 MUR 34.51
97.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.10 MUR 51.2
36.36%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.35 MUR 109
-11.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$5.33 MUR 249
257.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$5.39 MUR 251
-38.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$9.36 MUR 436
16.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.8
$2.03 MUR 94.5
44.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.01 MUR 93.6
-15.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$1.45 MUR 67.7
55.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$2.88 MUR 134
-27.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.02 MUR 47.50
48.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.51
$0.99 MUR 46.28
39.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.95
$0.70 MUR 32.54
52.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.50
$0.65 MUR 30.43
-20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.35 MUR 296
-33.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$3.83 MUR 179
390.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.70 MUR 79.4
7.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.38 MUR 111
19.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.97
$0.71 MUR 33.07
104.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,911
$42.16 MUR 1,964
34.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$4.37 MUR 204
-30.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.32
$3.26 MUR 152
-68.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$4.16 MUR 194
-11.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.75
$1.37 MUR 63.8
7.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.2K
$29.8K MUR 1.4M
-10.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.3K
$31.2K MUR 1.5M
-14.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,250
$41.93 MUR 1,953
129.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$21.49 MUR 1,001
-47.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$29.40 MUR 1,369
-42.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$14.95 MUR 696
349.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$5.21 MUR 243
43.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$127 MUR 5,912
275.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.9K
$7,551 MUR 351.8K
49.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,103
$43.78 MUR 2,039
42.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$32.14 MUR 1,497
-11.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,180
$93.6 MUR 4,361
0.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,894
$53.6 MUR 2,497
60.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$593 MUR 27.6K
20.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$433 MUR 20.2K
13.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,202 MUR 56.0K
60.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$795 MUR 37.0K
79.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.8K
$743 MUR 34.6K
461.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$646 MUR 30.1K
371.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Curepipe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$894 MUR 41.6K
-43.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6
-7.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Curepipe: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Curepipe
$433 11.9% $58
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Curepipe
$187 29.7% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Curepipe
$93 25.4% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Curepipe
$100 17.6% $21
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Curepipe
$94 22.8% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Curepipe
$25 69.1% $57
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Curepipe
$66 6.9% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $593 in Curepipe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curepipe pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $38 in Curepipe. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $187, with Curepipe cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇺 Curepipe
🕒 Local time
02:02 2:02 AM
23:02 11:02 PM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
81,600
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 46.58 MUR (100 MUR = 2.15 USD). 1 EUR = 51.98 MUR (100 MUR = 1.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Curepipe 5,460 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Curepipe

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 22% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Curepipe?
On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $593 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 26% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $127 in Curepipe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Curepipe?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Curepipe?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Curepipe are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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