ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,041 in Vilsbiburg.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,049 in Vilsbiburg.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,058 in Vilsbiburg.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 40% less than in Vilsbiburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Vilsbiburg is 52% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$16.11âŽ13.79
-71.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$70.8âŽ60.6
-33.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$11.42âŽ9.78
-22.59%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$3.80âŽ3.25
-21.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$3.24âŽ2.77
-77.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$2.72âŽ2.33
-86.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$4.94âŽ4.23
-50.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$4.57âŽ3.91
-21.01%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.27âŽ1.09
77.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.20âŽ1.88
-16.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$3.28âŽ2.80
-31.71%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$3.75âŽ3.21
-38.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$14.89âŽ12.74
32.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$14.66âŽ12.55
-75.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$20.12âŽ17.22
-34.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$3.20âŽ2.74
5.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$1.81âŽ1.55
-9.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.20âŽ1.88
9.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$4.84âŽ4.15
-58.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$1.49âŽ1.27
4.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$1.56âŽ1.33
-3.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.93âŽ1.65
-47.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$1.03âŽ0.88
-52.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$9.47âŽ8.11
-53.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$5.39âŽ4.61
250.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.08âŽ0.93
64.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$1.61âŽ1.38
70.81%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$3.49âŽ2.99
-59.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$61.4âŽ52.6
-81.30%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$5.19âŽ4.44
-39.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$2.10âŽ1.80
-52.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$37.05âŽ31.72
-61.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$2.06âŽ1.76
-34.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$31.3KâŽ26.8K
-13.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$37.6KâŽ32.2K
-12.40%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$329âŽ281
-61.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$29.98âŽ25.67
-54.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$53.2âŽ45.52
-65.17%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$38.98âŽ33.37
57.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$22.94âŽ19.64
-26.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$13.92âŽ11.92
-33.98%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$458âŽ392
52.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$11.6KâŽ9,963
33.97%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$92.5âŽ79.2
-37.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$44.90âŽ38.44
-21.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$101âŽ86.6
11.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$137âŽ117
-37.01%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$843âŽ721
-26.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$656âŽ562
-32.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$1,550âŽ1,326
32.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$1,201âŽ1,028
24.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$5,111âŽ4,375
-26.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$3,576âŽ3,061
-25.94%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Vilsbiburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.98
33.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Vilsbiburg: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $843 in Vilsbiburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $71.0 in Vilsbiburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $348 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 Vilsbiburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vilsbiburg cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 66% 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 $3,061 in Vilsbiburg 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 Vilsbiburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $843 in Vilsbiburg. 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 $458 in Vilsbiburg. 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 Vilsbiburg?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Vilsbiburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Vilsbiburg?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,041 in Vilsbiburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vilsbiburg. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Vilsbiburg more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vilsbiburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Vilsbiburg?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Vilsbiburg 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 66% less than in Vilsbiburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.