๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,376 in Roลพลava.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,949 in Roลพลava.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,521 in Roลพลava.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 8% less than in Roลพลava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Roลพลava is 2% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56เธฟ150
$9.52โฌ8.25
-52.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63เธฟ1,535
$28.45โฌ24.66
63.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47เธฟ279
$9.12โฌ7.91
-7.13%
Cappuccino
$3.03เธฟ99.7
$1.14โฌ0.98
165.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.69
$1.98โฌ1.71
-65.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ12.04
$1.62โฌ1.40
-77.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49เธฟ81.9
$2.30โฌ1.99
8.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ120
$2.10โฌ1.82
74.29%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18เธฟ71.8
$1.09โฌ0.94
100.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90เธฟ62.6
$0.95โฌ0.82
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20เธฟ72.4
$2.28โฌ1.98
-3.51%
Eggs
$2.22เธฟ73.2
$3.44โฌ2.98
-35.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99เธฟ658
$9.20โฌ7.97
117.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66เธฟ121
$7.43โฌ6.44
-50.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25เธฟ436
$11.46โฌ9.93
15.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23เธฟ106
$1.19โฌ1.03
171.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70เธฟ55.9
$1.46โฌ1.27
16.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39เธฟ78.8
$2.30โฌ1.99
3.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ68.4
$4.00โฌ3.47
-48.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ52.4
$0.71โฌ0.62
123.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.83
$0.72โฌ0.62
105.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.90
$1.40โฌ1.22
-26.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52เธฟ17.01
$0.71โฌ0.61
-26.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25เธฟ140
$5.73โฌ4.97
-25.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79เธฟ618
$3.55โฌ3.07
429.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76เธฟ57.8
$0.67โฌ0.58
162.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76เธฟ90.8
$1.40โฌ1.21
97.14%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36เธฟ44.79
$1.18โฌ1.03
15.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36เธฟ374
$29.20โฌ25.31
-61.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14เธฟ103
$2.36โฌ2.04
33.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ34.10
$0.85โฌ0.74
22.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77เธฟ453
$14.14โฌ12.26
-2.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34เธฟ44.26
$1.83โฌ1.58
-26.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7Kเธฟ911.1K
$24.9Kโฌ21.5K
11.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$25.5Kโฌ22.1K
32.96%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124เธฟ4,069
$229โฌ198
-46.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52เธฟ445
$28.45โฌ24.66
-52.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69เธฟ615
$22.81โฌ19.77
-18.06%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8เธฟ2,035
$42.75โฌ37.05
44.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25เธฟ568
$17.16โฌ14.88
0.52%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14เธฟ301
$8.58โฌ7.43
6.53%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703เธฟ23.1K
$458โฌ397
53.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kเธฟ522.5K
$7,320โฌ6,344
116.83%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,958
$61.1โฌ52.9
-2.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07เธฟ1,154
$31.53โฌ27.33
11.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,795
$82.3โฌ71.3
40.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1เธฟ2,767
$103โฌ89.5
-18.56%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619เธฟ20.4K
$586โฌ508
5.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433เธฟ14.2K
$487โฌ422
-11.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062เธฟ67.9K
$963โฌ835
114.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511เธฟ49.7K
$753โฌ653
100.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646เธฟ120.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626เธฟ86.4K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roลพลava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507เธฟ16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.16
28.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Roลพลava: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $586 in Roลพลava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Roลพลava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $217 per month, with Roลพลava 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 Roลพลava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roลพลava cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% 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 $2,064 in Roลพลava 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 Roลพลava?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $586 in Roลพลava. 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 $458 in Roลพลava. 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 Roลพลava?
Shoppers in Roลพลava pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Roลพลava?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,376 in Roลพลava, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roลพลava. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roลพลava more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roลพลava, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Roลพลava?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roลพลava 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 โ expenses run 9% less than in Roลพลava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.