Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto del Rosario Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto del Rosario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,509 in Puerto del Rosario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,190 in Puerto del Rosario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,872 in Puerto del Rosario.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 19% less than in Puerto del Rosario, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Puerto del Rosario is 13% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51 ฿147
$12.11 €10.43
-62.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62 ฿1,515
$57.4 €49.42
-18.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.49 ฿276
$9.45 €8.14
-10.16%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ฿100
$2.28 €1.97
35.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿22.07
$2.18 €1.88
-68.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿11.75
$1.24 €1.07
-70.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿78.8
$2.93 €2.52
-17.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿118
$4.27 €3.67
-14.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 ฿71.1
$1.18 €1.01
85.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿59.0
$2.13 €1.84
-15.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 ฿72.5
$2.13 €1.83
4.69%
Eggs
$2.24 ฿72.7
$3.24 €2.79
-30.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.60 ฿637
$11.78 €10.15
66.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.72 ฿121
$9.50 €8.18
-60.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.47 ฿438
$16.81 €14.47
-19.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.36 ฿109
$2.38 €2.05
41.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿52.5
$2.41 €2.08
-32.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.3
$2.20 €1.89
9.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.6
$2.09 €1.80
-4.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.76
$1.78 €1.53
-14.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ฿47.19
$2.79 €2.40
-48.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ฿32.96
$1.70 €1.47
-40.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.73
$0.61 €0.52
-21.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿139
$4.66 €4.01
-8.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.12 ฿621
$5.89 €5.07
224.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ฿59.7
$1.18 €1.01
55.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 ฿89.1
$1.02 €0.87
168.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿46.06
$1.60 €1.38
-11.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.72 ฿381
$34.45 €29.66
-65.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 ฿97.6
$3.44 €2.96
-12.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 ฿34.00
$2.14 €1.84
-50.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.90 ฿452
$22.82 €19.65
-39.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 ฿41.94
$1.66 €1.43
-22.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K ฿911.1K
$38.3K €33.0K
-26.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K ฿1.1M
$29.9K €25.7K
12.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,964
$68.5 €59.0
78.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿453
$20.29 €17.47
-31.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87 ฿613
$29.80 €25.66
-36.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 ฿1,992
$52.8 €45.44
16.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 ฿547
$14.96 €12.88
12.57%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 ฿289
$9.38 €8.08
-5.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$691 ฿22.5K
$531 €458
30.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K ฿525.2K
$6,522 €5,616
147.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 ฿1,878
$101 €86.6
-42.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39 ฿1,150
$51.9 €44.68
-31.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,685
$74.9 €64.5
51.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0 ฿2,698
$100 €86.1
-16.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$607 ฿19.7K
$798 €687
-23.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 ฿14.6K
$626 €539
-28.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,029 ฿66.0K
$1,056 €910
92.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,493 ฿48.5K
$812 €699
83.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,585 ฿116.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,585 ฿84.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Puerto del Rosario
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$505 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.43
55.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Puerto del Rosario: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $798 in Puerto del Rosario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $57.0 in Puerto del Rosario. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $278, with Puerto del Rosario cheaper for home cooking.

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 Puerto del Rosario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Puerto del Rosario cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $2,264 in Puerto del Rosario 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Puerto del Rosario?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $798 in Puerto del Rosario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $531 in Puerto del Rosario. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Puerto del Rosario?
Shoppers in Puerto del Rosario pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Puerto del Rosario?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,509 in Puerto del Rosario, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Puerto del Rosario. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Puerto del Rosario more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puerto del Rosario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Puerto del Rosario?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Puerto del Rosario 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Puerto del Rosario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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