Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Oranjestad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Oranjestad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,985 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,132 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $4,279 in Oranjestad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 36% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Oranjestad is 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$18.90 AWG 33.83

-76.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$80.3 AWG 144

-43.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$10.45 AWG 18.70

-16.17%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.74 AWG 6.70

-20.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.41 AWG 2.52

-51.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.61 AWG 2.89

-75.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.94 AWG 5.27

-13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.95 AWG 7.07

-5.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.90 AWG 3.40

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$3.02 AWG 5.40

-39.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.89 AWG 5.17

-24.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$5.31 AWG 9.50

-57.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.56 AWG 22.48

59.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.06 AWG 16.22

-59.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.32 AWG 22.05

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.61 AWG 8.24

-29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.30 AWG 4.12

-28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$4.94 AWG 8.84

-52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$3.54 AWG 6.34

-41.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.23 AWG 4.00

-30.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.95 AWG 3.48

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.67 AWG 4.78

-63.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.58 AWG 2.83

-69.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.95 AWG 17.80

-56.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.25 AWG 18.34

81.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.91 AWG 6.99

-52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$4.44 AWG 7.94

-40.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$2.21 AWG 3.95

-35.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$29.60 AWG 53.0

-60.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$17.15 AWG 30.70

-81.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.79 AWG 6.78

-72.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$24.63 AWG 44.07

-43.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.53 AWG 2.73

-12.42%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.4K AWG 47.3K

5.22%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.5K AWG 63.6K

-6.07%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$250 AWG 447

-50.76%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$48.78 AWG 87.3

-71.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$105 AWG 189

-82.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$105 AWG 189

-42.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$26.32 AWG 47.09

-34.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$11.85 AWG 21.21

-25.15%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$246 AWG 441

179.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,679 AWG 15.5K

81.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$60.0 AWG 107

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$50.1 AWG 89.6

-30.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$108 AWG 194

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$102 AWG 183

-18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$669 AWG 1,198

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$577 AWG 1,033

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,451 AWG 2,596

40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,361 AWG 2,436

9.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,204 AWG 3,944

56.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,736 AWG 3,107

45.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,737 AWG 3,108

-71.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.25

-14.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $669 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 252% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $365 per month, with Phuket 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 Oranjestad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Oranjestad differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,985 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 252% lower in Oranjestad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $669 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 156% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $246 in Oranjestad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,985 in Oranjestad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Oranjestad 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.