😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,052 in Roche Terre.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,744 in Roche Terre.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,436 in Roche Terre.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than Roche Terre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Roche Terre21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$6.57MUR 307
-29.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$44.63MUR 2,088
4.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.09MUR 332
24.68%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.55MUR 119
17.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.02MUR 47.73
-27.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.57MUR 26.57
-35.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.24MUR 105
8.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.34MUR 156
8.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.64MUR 76.6
37.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.71MUR 33.39
159.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.28MUR 60.0
75.00%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.24MUR 105
3.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$11.77MUR 551
67.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.35MUR 297
-42.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$12.43MUR 582
5.39%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.03MUR 95.2
67.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.01MUR 93.9
-18.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.51MUR 70.6
59.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.71MUR 127
-25.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.99MUR 46.48
57.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.02MUR 47.54
47.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.84MUR 39.37
21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.82MUR 38.17
-40.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.69MUR 313
-33.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.80MUR 412
114.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.72MUR 80.3
3.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.19MUR 102
25.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.04MUR 48.70
34.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.42MUR 207
-29.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.68MUR 126
-62.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$19.53MUR 914
-27.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.41MUR 66.0
-4.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
-23.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$29.3KMUR 1.4M
12.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$49.39MUR 2,311
153.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.04MUR 844
-24.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$33.60MUR 1,572
-44.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$38.92MUR 1,821
57.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$5.92MUR 277
55.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$157MUR 7,322
346.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,900MUR 182.5K
299.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$83.6MUR 3,914
-30.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$79.5MUR 3,718
-55.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$132MUR 6,178
-14.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$95.0MUR 4,444
-9.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$517MUR 24.2K
19.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$349MUR 16.3K
27.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$934MUR 43.7K
119.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$720MUR 33.7K
107.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roche Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.67
-20.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Roche Terre: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $517 in Roche Terre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Roche Terre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $232 per month, with Roche Terre 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 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,578 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: $616 in Phuket versus $517 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 $698 in Phuket versus $157 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 Roche Terre?
Dining out is cheaper in Roche Terre – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Roche Terre?
At $1,052 in Roche Terre versus $1,232 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.