🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,333 in Roodepoort.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,907 in Roodepoort.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,481 in Roodepoort.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Roodepoort, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Roodepoort1% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$11.08R 180
-57.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$45.62R 741
-0.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$4.69R 76.2
79.74%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$2.10R 34.12
39.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.99R 16.05
-30.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.81R 13.21
-54.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.21R 35.98
9.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.45R 39.87
51.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.21R 19.62
84.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.05R 17.10
74.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.71R 27.78
26.90%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.53R 41.06
-12.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$8.08R 131
144.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$4.77R 77.5
-23.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$6.76R 110
100.15%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.71R 27.78
91.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.54R 25.07
4.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.66R 26.95
45.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.61R 26.24
29.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.37R 22.30
11.68%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.36R 22.09
8.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.14R 18.54
-13.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.17R 19.01
-56.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.88R 46.79
53.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$5.25R 85.4
269.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.31R 21.30
35.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.60R 25.96
69.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.68R 27.26
-18.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$1.10R 17.87
174.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.89R 14.42
11.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$3.12R 50.7
351.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.27R 20.58
7.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$19.2KR 311.8K
46.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$23.6KR 383.7K
39.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$126R 2,046
-3.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$37.73R 613
-64.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$43.33R 704
-57.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$38.63R 628
55.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$10.19R 166
68.20%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$7.22R 117
20.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$208R 3,372
234.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$4,869R 79.1K
222.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$50.5R 820
18.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$31.61R 514
10.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$88.1R 1,431
30.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$80.2R 1,303
3.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$562R 9,129
9.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$605R 9,833
-27.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,414R 23.0K
48.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$875R 14.2K
72.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roodepoort
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,563R 25.4K
-67.49%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Roodepoort: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $562 in Roodepoort. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Roodepoort pays 208% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Roodepoort. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $186, with Roodepoort 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 Roodepoort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roodepoort cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Roodepoort?
On paper, Roodepoort earns 208% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $562 in Roodepoort. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 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 Roodepoort?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $46.00 in Roodepoort. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Roodepoort?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,333 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 5% less than in Roodepoort. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.