😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $984 in Ventspils.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,543 in Ventspils.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,103 in Ventspils.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Ventspils, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Ventspils29% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$13.73€11.83
-66.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$58.5€50.5
-44.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$8.93€7.69
-2.80%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$2.62€2.26
10.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$1.68€1.44
-50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$1.21€1.04
-59.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$3.42€2.95
-27.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.39€2.06
56.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.18€1.02
60.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$1.19€1.03
18.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$2.59€2.23
-37.45%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$3.29€2.84
-31.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$10.62€9.16
86.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$8.89€7.66
-60.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$14.39€12.40
-20.99%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$2.19€1.89
32.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.92€1.66
-10.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$2.44€2.11
-6.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$3.21€2.77
-33.64%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$0.94€0.81
56.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.00€0.86
42.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.86€1.60
-40.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.03€0.89
-41.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$7.13€6.15
-39.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$8.07€6.96
130.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$2.11€1.81
-14.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$2.10€1.81
41.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$1.14€0.98
97.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$17.57€15.14
33.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$3.46€2.98
-10.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$1.07€0.92
0.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$18.60€16.03
-79.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.85€1.60
-22.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$28.6K€24.6K
-2.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$32.5K€28.1K
-17.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$275€237
-61.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$17.17€14.80
-33.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$17.20€14.83
1.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$11.08€9.55
-29.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$634€546
-9.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$18.0K€15.5K
-35.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$73.2€63.1
-13.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$51.5€44.39
-43.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$69.4€59.8
38.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$104€89.6
-13.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ventspils
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
4.2
32.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Ventspils: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Ventspils. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $271, with Ventspils cheaper for home cooking.
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 Ventspils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ventspils cheaper than Phuket?
Ventspils is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% 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 $1,476 in Ventspils 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $634 in Ventspils. 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 in Ventspils?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ventspils?
At $984 in Ventspils versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ventspils but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ventspils the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ventspils more family-friendly?
For families, Ventspils 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ventspils?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ventspils 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 Ventspils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.