Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rhodes

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,732 in Rhodes, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Rhodes, Greece
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Rhodes
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,732
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Rhodes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Rhodes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,732 in Rhodes.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Rhodes $1,732

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,687 in Rhodes.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Rhodes $2,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,642 in Rhodes.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Rhodes $3,642

Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Rhodes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Rhodes is 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$18.78 €16.87
-76.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$68.2 €61.2
-52.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$9.31 €8.37
-5.37%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$4.37 €3.93
-35.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$2.51 €2.26
-65.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.91 €0.82
-46.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$5.50 €4.94
-53.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.98 €3.57
-7.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$2.18 €1.95
-23.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.83 €1.64
-20.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$5.17 €4.64
-70.99%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$6.17 €5.54
-66.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$16.04 €14.41
18.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$11.42 €10.26
-71.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$18.75 €16.85
-41.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$2.20 €1.98
33.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.14 €1.92
-21.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.47 €1.32
53.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$2.44 €2.19
-14.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.68 €1.51
-10.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.88 €1.68
-26.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.32 €1.19
-18.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.74 €0.67
-29.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$5.25 €4.72
-20.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.92 €7.12
137.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.63 €2.36
-30.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.67 €1.50
70.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$2.45 €2.20
-40.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$73.6 €66.1
-23.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.41 €3.07
-11.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$1.47 €1.32
-30.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$11.22 €10.08
-67.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$2.19 €1.97
-32.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$28.3K €25.4K
-5.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$26.3K €23.6K
1.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$220 €198
-56.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$26.46 €23.77
-57.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$29.62 €26.61
-43.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$60.3 €54.2
11.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$39.13 €35.15
-72.58%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$8.91 €8.01
-15.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$468 €420
1.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$9,190 €8,255
22.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$150 €135
-58.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$33.70 €30.27
-15.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$114 €102
-17.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$163 €147
-47.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$559 €502
28.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$452 €406
8.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,030 €925
87.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$772 €693
85.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$3,671 €3,297
13.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$1,742 €1,565
74.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rhodes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$1,342 €1,205
-62.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.53
22.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Rhodes: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Rhodes
$452 8% $39
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Rhodes
$344 29.2% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Rhodes
$276 122% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Rhodes
$207 70.2% $86
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Rhodes
$280 130% $158
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Rhodes
$78 5% $4.1
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Rhodes
$94 33.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $559 in Rhodes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rhodes pays about 2.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $68 in Rhodes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $344 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇷 Rhodes
🕒 Local time
05:05 5:05 AM
00:05 12:05 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
56,128
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Rhodes 7,740 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Rhodes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rhodes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Rhodes?
Phuket is about 26% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Rhodes?
On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Rhodes?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $559 in Rhodes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $468 in Rhodes. 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 in Rhodes?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Rhodes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Rhodes?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,732 in Rhodes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rhodes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Rhodes?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Rhodes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rhodes are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Rhodes on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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