Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nyamata Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nyamata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $487 in Nyamata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $780 in Nyamata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,072 in Nyamata.

Living in Phuket is roughly 153% more expensive than Nyamata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Nyamata 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.54 RWF 5,183

30.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$10.34 RWF 15.1K

353.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.51 RWF 9,530

35.79%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.76 RWF 2,579

70.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.68 RWF 995

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.44 RWF 644

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.06 RWF 1,554

130.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.41 RWF 2,061

156.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.71 RWF 1,040

218.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.85 RWF 1,247

116.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.29 RWF 1,885

73.64%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.68 RWF 2,460

38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.52 RWF 5,148

458.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.81 RWF 4,116

29.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.81 RWF 5,582

243.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.36 RWF 3,462

43.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.43 RWF 631

281.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.71 RWF 1,043

239.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.57 RWF 836

256.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.48 RWF 700

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.78 RWF 1,136

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.37 RWF 536

175.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.68 RWF 992

-27.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.37 RWF 2,002

224.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

86.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.89 RWF 1,298

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.81 RWF 2,644

51.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$30.68 RWF 44.9K

-62.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.60 RWF 3,813

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.40 RWF 2,055

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.16 RWF 4,633

345.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.13 RWF 1,650

19.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$27.2K RWF 39.8M

0.05%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.4K RWF 35.7M

35.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 ฿4,087

$47.18 RWF 69.1K

164.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿444

$8.55 RWF 12.5K

58.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$17.34 RWF 25.4K

6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$47.14 RWF 69.0K

30.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.12 RWF 3,104

333.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.8K

$154 RWF 225.3K

353.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,216 RWF 7.6M

198.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$16.77 RWF 24.5K

244.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$19.65 RWF 28.8K

79.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$24.12 RWF 35.3K

368.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$30.85 RWF 45.2K

180.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$106 RWF 154.6K

483.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$68.7 RWF 100.5K

549.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$348 RWF 510.2K

487.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$238 RWF 348.8K

526.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$182 RWF 266.1K

188.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.2

-67.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nyamata: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $106 in Nyamata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 188% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Nyamata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $125 per month, with Nyamata 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 Nyamata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nyamata wins on cost – living expenses run 153% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nyamata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Phuket pays 188% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $106 in Nyamata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nyamata runs roughly 167% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $154 in Nyamata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $487 in Nyamata versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nyamata but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nyamata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nyamata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nyamata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Nyamata are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nyamata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.