🙂A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,873 in Herentals, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,754 in Herentals, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,634 in Herentals, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 32% cheaper than Herentals, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Herentals is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$25.87€22.27
-81.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$63.4€54.6
-28.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$13.55€11.67
-37.79%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$2.48€2.14
18.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$2.05€1.77
-66.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$1.81€1.56
-79.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.33€2.01
3.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.70€2.32
37.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$0.67€0.57
232.84%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$2.02€1.74
-9.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.10€1.81
3.33%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.43€2.09
-9.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.44€8.99
89.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$10.53€9.07
-65.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$16.06€13.83
-15.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.92€2.51
12.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.78€1.53
-9.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.79€1.54
34.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.15€2.71
-33.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.15€0.99
33.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.89€1.63
-21.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.13€0.97
-12.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.31€0.26
64.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$12.27€10.56
-64.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$6.80€5.85
185.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.82€0.71
117.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$1.65€1.42
64.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$2.81€2.42
-51.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$56.9€48.99
-79.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$7.62€6.56
-60.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$3.21€2.76
-69.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$34.10€29.36
-58.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.87€1.61
-27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$32.9K€28.3K
-14.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$34.5K€29.7K
-4.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$171€147
-28.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$21.28€18.32
-36.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$56.8€48.94
-67.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$39.14€33.71
53.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$17.00€14.64
0.82%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$14.93€12.86
-41.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$614€529
12.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$13.7K€11.8K
14.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$79.6€68.6
-25.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$49.14€42.32
-29.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$116€100.0
-1.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$116€99.5
-27.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$896€772
-31.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$739€636
-40.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$1,377€1,185
52.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,109€955
36.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,914€3,371
-4.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,969€2,556
-11.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Herentals
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$2,330€2,007
-78.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.1
71.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Herentals: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $896 in Herentals. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 359% higher in Herentals, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $63.0 in Herentals. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $262 in Herentals – so Herentals wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Herentals cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Herentals is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,810 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Herentals?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $63.0 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 vs Herentals?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,873 in Herentals. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Herentals?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Herentals at $1,873. 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 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Herentals makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.