Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rudnรก Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rudnรก

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,563 in Rudnรก.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,198 in Rudnรก.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,833 in Rudnรก.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 19% less than in Rudnรก, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Rudnรก is 17% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 เธฟ154
$8.16 Kฤย 170
-42.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 เธฟ1,483
$36.82 Kฤย 768
23.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 เธฟ276
$7.91 Kฤย 165
6.57%
Cappuccino
$2.93 เธฟ95.7
$2.86 Kฤย 59.6
2.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 เธฟ22.42
$1.91 Kฤย 39.88
-63.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 เธฟ12.00
$1.32 Kฤย 27.58
-71.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 เธฟ78.7
$2.39 Kฤย 49.83
0.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 เธฟ122
$2.78 Kฤย 58.0
33.81%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 เธฟ73.0
$1.20 Kฤย 25.06
85.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 เธฟ59.9
$1.32 Kฤย 27.59
38.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 เธฟ70.9
$2.48 Kฤย 51.6
-12.50%
Eggs
$2.21 เธฟ72.4
$3.34 Kฤย 69.6
-33.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 เธฟ645
$10.11 Kฤย 211
95.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 เธฟ119
$9.75 Kฤย 203
-62.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 เธฟ442
$13.35 Kฤย 278
1.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 เธฟ107
$1.97 Kฤย 41.10
66.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 เธฟ52.7
$1.79 Kฤย 37.35
-10.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 เธฟ78.7
$2.28 Kฤย 47.64
5.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 เธฟ68.1
$3.93 Kฤย 82.0
-47.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 เธฟ49.97
$1.36 Kฤย 28.36
12.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 เธฟ48.41
$1.39 Kฤย 29.03
6.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 เธฟ32.32
$1.58 Kฤย 33.01
-37.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 เธฟ16.68
$0.80 Kฤย 16.75
-36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 เธฟ144
$7.44 Kฤย 155
-40.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 เธฟ634
$7.34 Kฤย 153
164.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 เธฟ58.1
$1.09 Kฤย 22.62
63.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 เธฟ88.7
$2.24 Kฤย 46.70
20.98%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 เธฟ44.83
$1.19 Kฤย 24.74
15.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 เธฟ372
$26.02 Kฤย 542
-56.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 เธฟ98.7
$1.39 Kฤย 28.88
117.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 เธฟ32.51
$1.24 Kฤย 25.77
-20.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 เธฟ461
$13.81 Kฤย 288
2.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 เธฟ44.55
$1.75 Kฤย 36.56
-22.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K เธฟ921.9K
$29.7K Kฤย 619.2K
-5.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K เธฟ1.1M
$31.0K Kฤย 646.1K
6.17%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 เธฟ3,978
$299 Kฤย 6,238
-59.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 เธฟ444
$27.07 Kฤย 564
-49.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 เธฟ599
$21.92 Kฤย 457
-16.47%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 เธฟ1,969
$53.7 Kฤย 1,119
12.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 เธฟ560
$16.53 Kฤย 345
3.69%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 เธฟ284
$10.94 Kฤย 228
-20.57%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 เธฟ22.7K
$405 Kฤย 8,440
71.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K เธฟ512.8K
$14.1K Kฤย 293.6K
11.39%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 เธฟ1,946
$81.0 Kฤย 1,689
-26.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 เธฟ1,137
$25.56 Kฤย 533
36.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 เธฟ3,746
$74.7 Kฤย 1,558
53.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 เธฟ2,723
$110 Kฤย 2,300
-24.52%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 เธฟ20.0K
$670 Kฤย 14.0K
-8.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 เธฟ14.3K
$557 Kฤย 11.6K
-21.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 เธฟ68.5K
$1,176 Kฤย 24.5K
78.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 เธฟ49.3K
$867 Kฤย 18.1K
74.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 เธฟ122.6K
$5,285 Kฤย 110.2K
-29.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 เธฟ85.5K
$2,938 Kฤย 61.3K
-10.98%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rudnรก
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 เธฟ16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.84
10.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rudnรก: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $670 in Rudnรก. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Rudnรก for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $264 per month, with Rudnรก 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 Rudnรก: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rudnรก cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,344 in Rudnรก 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 Rudnรก?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $670 in Rudnรก. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $405 in Rudnรก. 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 Rudnรก?
Shoppers in Rudnรก pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Rudnรก?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,563 in Rudnรก, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rudnรก. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Rudnรก more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rudnรก, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Rudnรก?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rudnรก 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 23% less than in Rudnรก. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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