Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lelystad

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,710 in Lelystad, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Lelystad, Netherlands
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Lelystad
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$1,710
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lelystad

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,710 in Lelystad, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Lelystad $1,710

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,651 in Lelystad, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Lelystad $2,651

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $3,592 in Lelystad, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Lelystad $3,592

Phuket is about 25% cheaper than Lelystad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Lelystad is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$22.27 €20.00
-79.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$82.4 €74.0
-60.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.37 €12.01
-34.11%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$4.10 €3.69
-30.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$2.60 €2.34
-66.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$2.33 €2.10
-78.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$5.20 €4.67
-50.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$4.51 €4.05
-18.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.26 €1.13
31.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.63 €1.46
-10.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.40 €2.15
-37.50%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.60 €4.13
-54.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$6.80 €6.11
180.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$14.20 €12.75
-76.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$16.57 €14.89
-34.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$2.11 €1.89
38.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.46 €2.21
-31.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.83 €1.65
22.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$3.53 €3.17
-41.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.74 €1.56
-13.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.74 €1.56
-20.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.28 €1.15
-16.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.81 €0.73
-35.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$9.44 €8.48
-55.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$6.85 €6.15
174.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.28 €1.15
42.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.42 €2.18
17.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$111 €99.4
-48.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.72 €3.34
-18.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$2.63 €2.36
-61.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$26.07 €23.42
-85.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$2.18 €1.95
-32.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$33.6K €30.1K
-20.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$39.4K €35.4K
-32.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$242 €217
-60.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$14.72 €13.22
-23.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$32.30 €29.01
-47.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$42.75 €38.40
57.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$13.62 €12.24
-44.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$2,725 €2,448
-82.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$8,152 €7,323
38.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$92.9 €83.5
-32.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$48.39 €43.47
-41.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$93.7 €84.2
0.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$115 €103
-25.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$668 €600
7.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$447 €402
9.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,330 €1,195
44.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$770 €692
85.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lelystad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$2,420 €2,173
-79.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.23
72.45%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lelystad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Lelystad
$447 8.9% $44
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Lelystad
$297 11.5% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Lelystad
$289 132% $164
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Lelystad
$158 29.3% $36
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Lelystad
$322 165% $201
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Lelystad
$70 14.9% $12
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Lelystad
$128 * 80.7% $57

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $668 in Lelystad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lelystad are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $82 in Lelystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $297 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇱 Lelystad
🕒 Local time
04:06 4:06 AM
22:06 10:06 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
78,598
💱 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Lelystad 9,510 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Lelystad

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 Lelystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Lelystad?
Lelystad costs about 34% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Lelystad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,565 in Lelystad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Lelystad?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $716 in Phuket and $668 in Lelystad. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Lelystad?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $82 in Lelystad. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Lelystad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,710 in Lelystad. That makes Phuket about 25% cheaper.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Lelystad?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Lelystad at $1,710. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lelystad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Lelystad?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,710 in Lelystad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Phuket compared to Lelystad?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Phuket or to Lelystad?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lelystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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