🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,950 in Tervuren.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,978 in Tervuren.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $4,006 in Tervuren.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 35% less than in Tervuren, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Tervuren is 45% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$22.77€19.62
-79.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$94.2€81.2
-50.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$11.53€9.94
-26.54%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$4.14€3.57
-26.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$4.07€3.51
-83.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$3.47€2.99
-89.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$5.18€4.47
-51.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$4.56€3.93
-19.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.35€1.17
61.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$2.29€1.97
-17.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$2.98€2.57
-26.17%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.41€2.94
-34.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$11.74€10.12
70.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$9.95€8.57
-63.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$17.68€15.23
-25.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.35€2.03
37.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.32€2.00
-26.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$2.09€1.80
14.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.33€2.01
-10.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$2.14€1.85
-25.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.63€1.40
-9.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.96€0.83
7.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.26€1.09
-58.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$12.93€11.14
-67.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$7.47€6.43
151.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.95€1.68
-9.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.12€1.83
30.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$2.84€2.45
-52.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$57.1€49.22
-80.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$6.34€5.47
-50.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$2.54€2.19
-59.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$34.64€29.84
-60.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.93€1.66
-30.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$29.6K€25.5K
-6.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$28.4K€24.4K
19.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$182€156
-31.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$21.16€18.23
-36.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$47.88€41.25
-60.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$38.44€33.12
60.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$17.22€14.83
0.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$14.69€12.66
-37.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$668€575
5.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$13.4K€11.6K
18.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$104€90.0
-43.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$32.60€28.09
7.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$115€98.7
0.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$134€115
-37.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$914€787
-32.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$744€641
-41.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,368€1,179
50.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,088€937
38.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,917€3,375
-6.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$3,038€2,617
-13.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.42
55.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Tervuren: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $914 in Tervuren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $94.0 in Tervuren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $303 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 Tervuren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tervuren cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 55% 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 $2,925 in Tervuren 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 Tervuren?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $914 in Tervuren. 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 $668 in Tervuren. 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 Tervuren?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Tervuren. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tervuren?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,950 in Tervuren, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tervuren. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tervuren more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tervuren, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tervuren?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tervuren 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 – expenses run 55% less than in Tervuren. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.