😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,067 in Rose Belle.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,667 in Rose Belle.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,268 in Rose Belle.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Rose Belle20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$6.61MUR 309
-29.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$23.22MUR 1,086
101.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$6.98MUR 326
26.65%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.42MUR 66.4
111.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.98MUR 45.82
-24.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.41MUR 19.20
-9.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.23MUR 104
9.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.33MUR 156
8.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.65MUR 77.2
36.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.70MUR 32.91
162.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.34MUR 62.6
67.16%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.35MUR 110
-1.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$11.66MUR 546
68.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.22MUR 291
-41.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$12.57MUR 588
4.22%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.01MUR 93.9
68.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.04MUR 95.3
-19.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.45MUR 67.6
66.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.65MUR 124
-23.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.03MUR 48.32
51.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.92MUR 43.12
63.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.79MUR 37.07
29.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.81MUR 38.00
-39.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.72MUR 315
-33.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.37MUR 392
125.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.72MUR 80.4
3.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.18MUR 102
26.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.01MUR 47.10
38.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.50MUR 211
-30.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.69MUR 126
-62.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$19.63MUR 919
-28.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.45MUR 68.0
-6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
-23.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
15.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$49.32MUR 2,308
153.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.12MUR 848
-25.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$33.44MUR 1,564
-44.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$38.32MUR 1,793
60.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.12MUR 286
50.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$152MUR 7,131
358.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$4,029MUR 188.5K
286.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$86.9MUR 4,064
-33.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$78.9MUR 3,691
-55.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$133MUR 6,204
-14.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$95.5MUR 4,467
-9.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$513MUR 24.0K
20.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$357MUR 16.7K
25.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$967MUR 45.3K
111.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$714MUR 33.4K
108.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Rose Belle: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $513 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 $292 vs $231 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,601 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: $616 in Phuket versus $513 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 $698 in Phuket versus $152 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 $1,067 in Rose Belle versus $1,232 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.