😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,016 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,590 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,163 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 24% more expensive than Oudtshoorn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Oudtshoorn24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$8.71R 142
-46.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$33.31R 544
36.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$4.85R 79.3
73.81%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$2.12R 34.63
38.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$0.98R 16.05
-29.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$0.81R 13.19
-54.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.17R 35.55
11.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.48R 40.61
50.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.10R 17.98
102.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.06R 17.29
72.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$1.62R 26.41
33.95%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.48R 40.55
-10.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$7.71R 126
156.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$4.48R 73.3
-18.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$6.59R 108
105.31%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.68R 27.49
95.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.48R 24.19
8.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.48R 24.24
62.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.65R 26.94
26.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.36R 22.27
12.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.24R 20.35
19.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.04R 16.98
-4.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.93R 15.20
-45.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.75R 44.99
60.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$4.74R 77.4
308.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.35R 22.06
31.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$1.70R 27.72
59.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.68R 27.44
-18.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$1.10R 18.03
174.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$0.95R 15.58
4.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$3.95R 64.6
256.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.24R 20.26
9.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$21.0KR 343.5K
34.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$23.6KR 386.3K
39.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$120R 1,956
1.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$35.77R 585
-62.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$42.34R 692
-56.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$31.19R 510
93.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$6.78R 111
28.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$198R 3,234
250.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$4,416R 72.2K
255.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$51.2R 838
16.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$32.11R 525
8.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$88.1R 1,440
30.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$80.7R 1,319
3.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$367R 6,006
66.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$336R 5,499
29.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$675R 11.0K
210.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$682R 11.1K
121.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$812R 13.3K
361.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$669R 10.9K
291.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.51
-53.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Oudtshoorn: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $367 in Oudtshoorn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Oudtshoorn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $176 per month, with Oudtshoorn 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 Oudtshoorn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Oudtshoorn?
Oudtshoorn wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oudtshoorn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Oudtshoorn?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,525 in Oudtshoorn to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Oudtshoorn?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $367 in Oudtshoorn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Oudtshoorn?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $198 in Oudtshoorn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Oudtshoorn?
Dining out is cheaper in Oudtshoorn – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Oudtshoorn?
At $1,016 in Oudtshoorn versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oudtshoorn but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Oudtshoorn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Oudtshoorn?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oudtshoorn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,016 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oudtshoorn hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Oudtshoorn?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Oudtshoorn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oudtshoorn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.