Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rundu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rundu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $356 in Rundu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $629 in Rundu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $902 in Rundu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 234% more expensive than in Rundu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Rundu 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$14.91 NAD 248

-70.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,093

$30.16 NAD 502

7.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$6.00 NAD 99.8

40.33%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.5

$2.10 NAD 34.93

33.81%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ฿29.46

$0.70 NAD 11.60

24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.48

$0.58 NAD 9.73

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$0.89 NAD 14.88

191.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$1.20 NAD 19.97

203.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.69

$0.80 NAD 13.39

81.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$4.69 NAD 78.1

-66.74%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$2.98 NAD 49.54

-29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿657

$4.22 NAD 70.2

362.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$4.94 NAD 82.1

-31.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$4.81 NAD 80.0

131.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.18 NAD 36.21

29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$2.11 NAD 35.04

-23.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.25 NAD 20.80

77.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$0.95 NAD 15.88

126.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$5.19 NAD 86.3

-71.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.65

$0.89 NAD 14.74

49.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.92

$0.59 NAD 9.79

81.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$1.06 NAD 17.63

-51.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$1.23 NAD 20.47

256.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

$3.92 NAD 65.2

378.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$1.26 NAD 20.89

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$1.50 NAD 24.88

85.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.16

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.3K ฿887.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K ฿882.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.7 ฿3,254

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.41 ฿384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,778

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿258

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$555 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,135

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿963

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,256

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,983

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿40.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Rundu: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Rundu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $173 per month, with Rundu 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 Rundu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rundu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 234% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $534 in Rundu 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rundu – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $356 in Rundu versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rundu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rundu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rundu 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rundu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rundu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 234% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.