😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,060 in Rose Belle.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,657 in Rose Belle.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,254 in Rose Belle.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Rose Belle21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$6.45MUR 304
-29.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$23.27MUR 1,096
100.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$7.20MUR 339
17.64%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.41MUR 66.4
114.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.03MUR 48.68
-33.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.44MUR 20.78
-15.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$2.17MUR 102
14.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$3.27MUR 154
11.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.62MUR 76.4
34.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.65MUR 30.46
192.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.28MUR 60.4
71.88%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.32MUR 109
-4.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$11.78MUR 555
69.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$6.12MUR 288
-40.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$12.60MUR 593
5.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.97MUR 92.8
63.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.95MUR 91.8
-12.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.45MUR 68.1
64.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.66MUR 125
-21.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.99MUR 46.71
60.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.01MUR 47.39
46.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.80MUR 37.80
28.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.76MUR 35.70
-31.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$6.53MUR 308
-34.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$8.18MUR 385
129.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.81MUR 85.3
-2.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.15MUR 101
28.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.04MUR 49.15
30.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$4.39MUR 207
-28.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$2.70MUR 127
-61.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$20.15MUR 949
-31.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.45MUR 68.1
-7.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$36.0KMUR 1.7M
-23.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$28.3KMUR 1.3M
19.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$50.3MUR 2,368
145.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$18.24MUR 859
-25.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$33.08MUR 1,558
-43.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$38.13MUR 1,796
62.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$6.13MUR 289
49.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$155MUR 7,283
354.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$3,904MUR 183.8K
306.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$86.5MUR 4,074
-31.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$80.8MUR 3,806
-56.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$130MUR 6,116
-11.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$94.8MUR 4,465
-11.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$517MUR 24.3K
19.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$351MUR 16.5K
23.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$960MUR 45.2K
114.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$718MUR 33.8K
110.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rose Belle: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $517 in Rose Belle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Rose Belle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $228 per month, with Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rose Belle cheaper than Phuket?
Rose Belle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,590 in Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $517 in Rose Belle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $155 in Rose Belle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Rose Belle?
Dining out is cheaper in Rose Belle – a meal for two runs $23.00 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 Rose Belle?
At $1,060 in Rose Belle versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rose Belle but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rose Belle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Rose Belle more family-friendly?
For families, Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.