Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and RoatanCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Roatan
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,240 in Roatan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,030 in Roatan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,820 in Roatan.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 2% more expensive than in Roatan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Roatan10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$7.91HNL 212
-41.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$40.62HNL 1,091
-20.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$8.73HNL 234
-0.57%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$4.44HNL 119
-34.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$1.01HNL 27.04
-16.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$0.86HNL 23.22
-43.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$2.51HNL 67.5
-1.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$5.11HNL 137
-27.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.44HNL 38.68
31.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$3.22HNL 86.6
-56.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$2.54HNL 68.3
-36.22%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$2.04HNL 54.7
9.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$11.03HNL 296
79.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$6.44HNL 173
-45.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$17.46HNL 469
-34.88%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
-
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.08HNL 29.12
59.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$1.09HNL 29.14
108.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$0.56HNL 15.05
280.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.64HNL 44.10
-10.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.48HNL 39.86
-4.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.17HNL 31.45
-5.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$2.93HNL 78.8
-79.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$2.91HNL 78.2
48.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$7.83HNL 210
137.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$1.33HNL 35.78
35.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$2.61HNL 70.1
13.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$2.05HNL 55.0
51.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$10.12HNL 272
-61.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.07HNL 28.85
33.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$29.6KHNL 796.0K
-8.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$98.5HNL 2,644
-82.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$58.9HNL 1,580
-7.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$499HNL 13.4K
15.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$39.90HNL 1,072
59.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$19.67HNL 528
47.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$40.79HNL 1,095
135.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$49.65HNL 1,333
81.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$848HNL 22.8K
-13.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$552HNL 14.8K
-9.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$1,990HNL 53.4K
6.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$1,229HNL 33.0K
1.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$1,907HNL 51.2K
85.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$1,338HNL 35.9K
96.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roatan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$495HNL 13.3K
2.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
18
-69.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Roatan: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $848 in Roatan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 2% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Roatan. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $272, with Roatan 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 Roatan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roatan cheaper than Phuket?
Roatan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Roatan?
Average pay runs 2% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Roatan?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $848 in Roatan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $499 in Roatan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Roatan?
Dining out is cheaper in Roatan – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Roatan?
At $1,240 in Roatan versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roatan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Roatan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roatan more family-friendly?
For families, Roatan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Roatan?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roatan 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 Roatan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.