Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Roseau Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Roseau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,246 in Roseau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,072 in Roseau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,899 in Roseau.

Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Roseau; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Roseau 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$7.53 EC$20.32
-39.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,553
$55.8 EC$151
-17.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$6.78 EC$18.31
30.38%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$4.19 EC$11.31
-26.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.40
$2.42 EC$6.52
-69.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.39
$2.28 EC$6.16
-82.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.8
$1.89 EC$5.11
28.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$2.61 EC$7.05
44.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿76.0
$3.00 EC$8.09
-24.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$1.66 EC$4.49
9.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.97 EC$2.63
131.96%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.5
$5.56 EC$15.02
-59.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿656
$2.27 EC$6.13
759.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿123
$10.51 EC$28.38
-65.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿439
$12.16 EC$32.84
7.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$6.16 EC$16.63
-47.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.4
$2.23 EC$6.01
-27.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$4.82 EC$13.00
-50.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.1
$5.16 EC$13.94
-60.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.6
$3.25 EC$8.77
-52.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$3.01 EC$8.13
-50.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.91
$2.14 EC$5.77
-54.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.39
$2.90 EC$7.84
-82.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿616
$11.26 EC$30.41
62.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$2.71 EC$7.33
-31.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.1
$2.95 EC$7.96
-9.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.46
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$31.69 EC$85.6
-63.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿105
$3.61 EC$9.75
-13.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.06
$3.78 EC$10.20
-72.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$10.06 EC$27.17
40.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.10
$1.28 EC$3.46
2.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿935.4K
$33.2K EC$89.8K
-16.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$29.3K EC$79.0K
13.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,118
$140 EC$378
-12.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿457
$42.21 EC$114
-67.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿629
$55.9 EC$151
-66.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,034
$46.14 EC$125
31.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿571
$22.85 EC$61.7
-25.69%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$8.40 EC$22.68
7.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.8K
$110 EC$296
543.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿531.5K
$3,361 EC$9,076
370.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,969
$78.4 EC$212
-25.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,189
$46.89 EC$127
-24.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,883
$100 EC$271
14.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,816
$91.3 EC$247
-8.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$280 EC$756
123.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿15.0K
$205 EC$553
117.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.6K
$883 EC$2,383
131.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.2K
$624 EC$1,686
138.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿117.1K
$125 EC$339
2676.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.7K
$57.3 EC$155
4400.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roseau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$478 EC$1,291
4.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
7.6
-29.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Roseau: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $280 in Roseau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $56.0 in Roseau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $359 per month, with Phuket 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 Roseau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Roseau?
Average pay runs 5% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Roseau?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $280 in Roseau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $110 in Roseau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Roseau?
Dining out is cheaper in Roseau – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Roseau?
At $1,246 in Roseau versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Roseau but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Roseau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roseau more family-friendly?
For families, Roseau 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 Roseau?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roseau 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 the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Roseau wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities