😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,003 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,557 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,111 in Oudtshoorn.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Oudtshoorn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Oudtshoorn25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$8.74R 144
-47.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$33.36R 551
38.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$4.80R 79.2
84.17%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$2.09R 34.41
46.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.04R 17.13
-29.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.77R 12.73
-48.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.28R 37.68
6.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.55R 42.02
48.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.14R 18.84
98.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.01R 16.60
79.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.57R 25.84
43.31%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.39R 39.47
-5.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.58R 125
157.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$4.61R 76.1
-20.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$6.66R 110
95.95%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.62R 26.74
99.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.47R 24.29
10.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$1.54R 25.42
54.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$1.59R 26.27
27.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.31R 21.62
16.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.23R 20.25
21.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.05R 17.29
-6.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.97R 15.94
-46.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.82R 46.50
57.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$5.09R 84.0
259.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.33R 21.96
39.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.72R 28.37
55.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$1.69R 27.85
-16.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$1.09R 18.04
185.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.88R 14.56
18.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$4.12R 68.1
242.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.22R 20.21
7.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$21.3KR 351.9K
30.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$24.1KR 398.2K
37.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$118R 1,942
4.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$35.44R 585
-61.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$41.52R 685
-54.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$31.59R 521
91.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$6.92R 114
31.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$198R 3,262
257.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$4,360R 71.9K
262.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$51.0R 841
14.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$31.92R 527
10.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$89.6R 1,478
28.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$80.6R 1,331
3.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$359R 5,917
74.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$332R 5,479
34.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$689R 11.4K
195.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$698R 11.5K
113.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$926R 15.3K
275.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$706R 11.7K
264.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Oudtshoorn: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $359 in Oudtshoorn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Oudtshoorn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $177 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 25% 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 and in Oudtshoorn?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,505 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 compared to Oudtshoorn?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $359 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 in Oudtshoorn?
Childcare runs $706 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 and in Oudtshoorn?
Dining out is cheaper in Oudtshoorn – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 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 in Oudtshoorn?
At $1,003 in Oudtshoorn versus $1,250 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 $1,003 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 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.