Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Herentals

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,288 in Herentals, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Herentals, Belgium
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Herentals
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,288
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Herentals

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 Herentals actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $2,288 in Herentals, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Herentals $2,288

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $3,178 in Herentals, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Herentals $3,178

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $4,067 in Herentals, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Herentals $4,067

Phuket is about 44% cheaper than Herentals, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Herentals is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$17.89 €16.03
-75.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
$90.2 €80.8
-64.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$12.36 €11.07
-28.72%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
$3.70 €3.32
-23.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
$3.52 €3.16
-75.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$2.54 €2.28
-80.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
$5.61 €5.03
-54.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$4.48 €4.02
-17.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.24 €1.11
33.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
$2.70 €2.42
-45.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$3.67 €3.29
-59.13%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
$3.61 €3.24
-42.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
$17.89 €16.03
6.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$11.75 €10.53
-71.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$15.01 €13.45
-27.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
$3.09 €2.77
-5.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$2.29 €2.05
-26.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$2.89 €2.59
-22.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$2.99 €2.68
-30.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$2.40 €2.16
-37.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
$2.01 €1.80
-31.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
$1.69 €1.52
-36.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
$1.05 €0.94
-50.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$9.22 €8.26
-54.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
$8.03 €7.19
134.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$2.46 €2.21
-26.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
$3.22 €2.88
-11.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$3.06 €2.74
-52.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
$59.9 €53.7
-5.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$5.07 €4.54
-40.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
$2.56 €2.29
-60.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$17.06 €15.29
-78.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$1.82 €1.63
-19.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
$35.5K €31.9K
-24.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
$37.1K €33.2K
-27.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
$335 €300
-71.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$25.21 €22.59
-55.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$60.3 €54.0
-72.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$38.13 €34.17
76.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
$21.20 €19.00
-49.39%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$14.48 €12.97
-48.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
$850 €762
-44.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
$16.2K €14.6K
-30.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
$86.1 €77.2
-27.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
$50.4 €45.15
-43.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
$103 €92.4
-8.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
$131 €117
-34.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$845 €757
-15.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
$911 €817
-46.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
$1,312 €1,175
46.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
$1,081 €969
32.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
$3,972 €3,560
5.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
$2,505 €2,245
21.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.65
52.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Herentals: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Herentals
$911 85.7% $420
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Herentals
$347 30.4% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Herentals
$420 238% $296
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Herentals
$167 36.7% $45
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Herentals
$286 135% $164
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Herentals
$67 18.4% $15
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Herentals
$90 27.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $845 in Herentals. 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 $32 in Phuket versus $90 in Herentals. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $347 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇪 Herentals
🕒 Local time
16:39 4:39 PM
10:39 10:39 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
25,912
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Herentals 9,570 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Herentals

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 Herentals: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Herentals?
Yes – Herentals is pricier by about 79%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $3,433 in Herentals. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $845 in Herentals.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Herentals?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $90 in Herentals. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Herentals?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $2,288 in Herentals. That makes Phuket about 44% cheaper.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Herentals?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Herentals at $2,288. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Herentals it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Herentals more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Herentals?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Phuket is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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