🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,310 in Roquetas de Mar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,895 in Roquetas de Mar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,480 in Roquetas de Mar.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Roquetas de Mar, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Roquetas de Mar2% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$11.70€10.00
-60.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,523
$57.2€48.84
-18.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿287
$11.80€10.07
-25.08%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿97.4
$1.57€1.34
91.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.11
$2.98€2.55
-75.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.88
$1.70€1.45
-78.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.3
$2.95€2.52
-17.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿117
$2.84€2.42
27.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.5
$1.29€1.10
75.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿59.8
$1.51€1.29
21.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.0
$1.14€0.97
96.49%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.3
$3.51€3.00
-33.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿639
$9.43€8.06
108.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$7.78€6.65
-53.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿426
$17.66€15.08
-25.82%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿110
$2.06€1.76
64.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.4
$1.76€1.50
-6.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.5
$1.08€0.93
123.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.0
$1.61€1.37
26.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.6
$2.36€2.02
-33.90%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.66
$1.21€1.03
23.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.30
$0.57€0.49
78.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿15.91
$0.68€0.58
-27.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.59€5.63
-32.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿614
$5.09€4.35
270.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿57.7
$1.38€1.18
28.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$2.26€1.93
21.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.54
$0.40€0.35
250.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿373
$34.64€29.58
-66.86%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿101
$3.42€2.92
-8.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.48
$1.23€1.05
-18.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿458
$13.76€11.75
2.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿43.93
$1.78€1.52
-24.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿883.7K
$38.9K€33.2K
-30.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$29.7K€25.4K
10.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,063
$118€100
6.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿441
$5.85€4.99
131.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿602
$23.18€19.80
-20.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿1,999
$37.60€32.11
63.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$14.95€12.76
12.64%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿299
$9.22€7.87
-0.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.7K
$456€390
53.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿506.9K
$11.2K€9,601
38.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$88.5€75.6
-34.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,146
$54.7€46.67
-35.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,677
$58.3€49.81
93.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,808
$110€93.5
-21.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.0K
$586€501
5.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.5K
$513€438
-13.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿66.6K
$823€703
148.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.5K
$619€529
141.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿122.8K
$2,077€1,774
81.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.1K
$1,691€1,444
56.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.0K
$1,331€1,137
-60.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.9
36.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Roquetas de Mar: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $586 in Roquetas de Mar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Roquetas de Mar pays 154% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $57.0 in Roquetas de Mar. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $242, with Roquetas de Mar 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 Roquetas de Mar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roquetas de Mar cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Roquetas de Mar?
On paper, Roquetas de Mar earns 154% 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 Roquetas de Mar?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $586 in Roquetas de Mar. 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 $456 in Roquetas de Mar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Roquetas de Mar?
Shoppers in Roquetas de Mar pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Roquetas de Mar?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,310 in Roquetas de Mar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roquetas de Mar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roquetas de Mar more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roquetas de Mar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Roquetas de Mar?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roquetas de Mar 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 6% less than in Roquetas de Mar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.