Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rosario Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rosario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $820 in Rosario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,334 in Rosario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,848 in Rosario.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than Rosario, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rosario 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$9.21 ARS 13.2K

-51.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$29.78 ARS 42.8K

56.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$9.26 ARS 13.3K

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.64 ARS 2,360

87.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.26 ARS 1,812

-46.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.18 ARS 1,699

-69.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.19 ARS 1,715

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.69 ARS 3,858

34.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.28 ARS 1,833

71.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.56 ARS 2,234

16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.87 ARS 2,680

19.25%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.15 ARS 3,088

4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$11.94 ARS 17.1K

64.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$5.80 ARS 8,330

-35.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.68 ARS 13.9K

39.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.82 ARS 2,608

84.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.10 ARS 3,011

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.99 ARS 1,416

143.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.65 ARS 3,808

-24.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.44 ARS 2,068

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.38 ARS 1,975

5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.93 ARS 1,341

8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.42 ARS 2,039

-66.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$3.29 ARS 4,729

29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$4.67 ARS 6,705

309.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.26 ARS 1,807

46.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.18 ARS 4,571

-13.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.87 ARS 1,252

63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.64 ARS 2,354

82.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.91 ARS 1,302

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$6.03 ARS 8,658

130.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.06 ARS 1,527

21.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$23.6K ARS 33.9M

18.75%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$25.8K ARS 37.1M

29.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿3,964

$54.4 ARS 78.1K

124.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.93 ฿453

$18.23 ARS 26.2K

-23.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$14.94 ARS 21.5K

26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$24.40 ARS 35.1K

151.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$6.03 ARS 8,663

179.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$5.11 ARS 7,334

73.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$691 ฿22.5K

$325 ARS 466.2K

113.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$1,059 ARS 1.5M

1425.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$60.8 ARS 87.4K

-4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$60.9 ARS 87.5K

-41.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$106 ARS 151.7K

7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$96.5 ARS 138.6K

-13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$199 ARS 286.5K

204.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$183 ARS 262.4K

145.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$523 ARS 750.9K

288.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$401 ARS 575.8K

272.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$2,085 ARS 3.0M

71.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$687 ARS 986.5K

-26.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

52.71

-89.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Rosario: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $199 in Rosario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rosario pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Rosario for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $227 per month, with Rosario 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 Rosario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rosario is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rosario earns 36% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $199 in Rosario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $325 in Rosario. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rosario – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $820 in Rosario versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rosario but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rosario the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rosario 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rosario are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rosario gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.