😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,070 in Roche Terre.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,759 in Roche Terre.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,448 in Roche Terre.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Roche Terre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Roche Terre22% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.43฿145
$6.29MUR 293
-29.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.07฿1,151
$38.17MUR 1,775
-8.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.96฿294
$7.48MUR 348
19.79%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.4
$2.67MUR 124
12.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.33
$1.02MUR 47.31
-24.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47฿15.44
$0.59MUR 27.24
-20.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.40฿78.6
$3.25MUR 151
-26.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿123
$4.65MUR 216
-19.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82฿59.8
$1.57MUR 73.2
15.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.42฿46.65
$0.73MUR 33.86
94.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿50.8
$1.12MUR 52.0
38.39%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$2.68MUR 124
-20.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.76฿648
$5.38MUR 250
267.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿114
$6.37MUR 296
-45.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.09฿364
$11.15MUR 518
-0.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.91฿95.5
$2.85MUR 133
2.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.66฿54.6
$2.65MUR 123
-37.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿74.5
$1.40MUR 64.9
62.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.10฿68.8
$2.96MUR 137
-29.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.24
$1.01MUR 47.06
45.54%
Onion(1kg)
$1.41฿46.29
$0.94MUR 43.63
50.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09฿35.78
$0.69MUR 32.09
57.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54฿17.58
$0.84MUR 38.91
-35.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.48฿147
$6.39MUR 297
-29.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.72฿614
$8.29MUR 385
125.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿60.4
$1.70MUR 78.8
8.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95฿96.7
$2.32MUR 108
27.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.26฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.07฿757
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿99.9
$4.36MUR 203
-30.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.09฿35.82
$3.29MUR 153
-66.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.82฿125
$21.45MUR 997
-82.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿48.79
$1.33MUR 62.0
12.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K฿900.3K
$37.4KMUR 1.7M
-26.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.7K
$31.4KMUR 1.5M
-12.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,340
$44.55MUR 2,071
128.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28฿370
$10.63MUR 494
6.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.75฿582
$29.10MUR 1,353
-39.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.2฿1,777
$40.21MUR 1,869
34.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.96฿360
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.85฿258
$6.28MUR 292
25.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$577฿18.9K
$126MUR 5,841
359.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿381.6K
$7,700MUR 358.0K
51.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.4฿2,144
$79.2MUR 3,683
-17.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.89฿948
$73.4MUR 3,412
-60.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.1฿3,250
$121MUR 5,617
-18.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,961
$77.9MUR 3,620
15.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$756฿24.8K
$646MUR 30.0K
17.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$487฿16.0K
$458MUR 21.3K
6.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿68.4K
$1,219MUR 56.7K
71.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,207฿39.6K
$937MUR 43.6K
28.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,591฿117.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,610฿85.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$502฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.67
-16.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026
Last update for Roche Terre: August 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $646 in Roche Terre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $218, with Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roche Terre cheaper than Phuket?
Roche Terre is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,605 in Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Phuket versus $646 in Roche Terre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $126 in Roche Terre. 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 Roche Terre?
Dining out is cheaper in Roche Terre – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $35.00 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 Roche Terre?
At $1,070 in Roche Terre versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roche Terre but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Roche Terre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roche Terre more family-friendly?
For families, Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.