🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,358 in Roodepoort.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,905 in Roodepoort.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,451 in Roodepoort.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Roodepoort, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Roodepoort is 2% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$11.22R 185
-60.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$44.89R 739
1.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$4.89R 80.6
79.14%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$2.08R 34.25
42.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$1.04R 17.05
-33.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.80R 13.20
-51.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$2.31R 37.96
9.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$2.56R 42.17
46.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.19R 19.65
80.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.02R 16.87
78.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.65R 27.16
32.12%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$2.52R 41.48
-10.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$8.24R 136
142.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$4.86R 80.1
-25.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$6.66R 110
103.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$1.71R 28.07
89.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.61R 26.46
1.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.64R 27.05
42.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.63R 26.90
26.99%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.37R 22.53
13.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.37R 22.51
6.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$1.09R 17.86
-10.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.15R 18.98
-58.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$2.72R 44.78
59.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$5.86R 96.5
216.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.36R 22.42
36.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.61R 26.45
64.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$1.61R 26.44
-11.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.14R 18.75
178.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.93R 15.36
10.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$3.13R 51.5
343.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.30R 21.48
3.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$19.0KR 312.6K
46.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$24.3KR 400.2K
37.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$124R 2,033
-0.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$37.49R 617
-63.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$43.13R 710
-57.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$38.65R 636
57.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$10.09R 166
70.07%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$7.47R 123
18.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$208R 3,424
230.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$4,951R 81.5K
218.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$49.79R 820
19.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$31.98R 526
8.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$88.4R 1,454
30.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$78.2R 1,287
7.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$551R 9,077
12.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$618R 10.2K
-27.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$1,412R 23.3K
43.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$854R 14.1K
75.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$1,491R 24.5K
-66.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.51
-53.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Roodepoort: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $551 in Roodepoort. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Roodepoort pays 202% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Roodepoort for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $188 per month, with Roodepoort 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 Roodepoort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roodepoort cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Roodepoort?
On paper, salaries run 202% lower in Roodepoort. 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 Roodepoort?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $551 in Roodepoort. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $208 in Roodepoort. 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 Roodepoort?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $45.00 in Roodepoort. 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 Roodepoort?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,358 in Roodepoort, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roodepoort. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roodepoort more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roodepoort, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Roodepoort?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roodepoort 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 7% less than in Roodepoort. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.