ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,001 in Tervuren.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,936 in Tervuren.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,870 in Tervuren.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 38% less than in Tervuren, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Tervuren is 49% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$22.80âŽ19.52
-79.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$90.9âŽ77.8
-48.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$11.37âŽ9.73
-22.25%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$4.36âŽ3.74
-31.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$4.01âŽ3.43
-81.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$3.36âŽ2.88
-88.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$5.09âŽ4.36
-52.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$4.50âŽ3.86
-19.78%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.36âŽ1.16
66.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.30âŽ1.97
-20.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$2.99âŽ2.56
-25.08%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$3.45âŽ2.95
-32.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$11.78âŽ10.08
66.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$9.59âŽ8.21
-61.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$17.69âŽ15.15
-25.95%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$2.24âŽ1.92
51.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.24âŽ1.92
-26.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.05âŽ1.76
17.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$2.37âŽ2.03
-14.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$2.16âŽ1.85
-27.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$1.59âŽ1.36
-5.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$0.90âŽ0.77
13.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$1.22âŽ1.05
-59.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$12.57âŽ10.76
-64.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$7.43âŽ6.36
154.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.92âŽ1.64
-7.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.16âŽ1.85
27.31%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$2.84âŽ2.43
-50.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$55.7âŽ47.66
-79.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$6.42âŽ5.49
-51.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$2.64âŽ2.26
-62.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$34.32âŽ29.37
-58.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.85âŽ1.58
-27.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$30.4KâŽ26.0K
-10.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$28.0KâŽ24.0K
17.63%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$179âŽ153
-30.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$21.07âŽ18.03
-35.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$48.77âŽ41.75
-62.03%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$38.02âŽ32.54
61.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$16.69âŽ14.29
0.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$14.28âŽ12.23
-35.64%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$668âŽ572
4.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$13.7KâŽ11.7K
13.63%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$105âŽ89.9
-45.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$33.04âŽ28.28
6.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$116âŽ99.5
-2.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$134âŽ114
-35.33%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$886âŽ759
-30.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$742âŽ635
-39.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$1,360âŽ1,164
50.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$1,103âŽ944
35.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$3,625âŽ3,103
4.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$2,504âŽ2,144
5.77%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tervuren
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.42
55.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Tervuren: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $886 in Tervuren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $91.0 in Tervuren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $300 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,002 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: $616 in Phuket versus $886 in Tervuren. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 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 3% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,001 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 â expenses run 62% less than in Tervuren. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.