🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,008 in Vilvoorde.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,042 in Vilvoorde.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,076 in Vilvoorde.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 39% less than in Vilvoorde, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Vilvoorde is 50% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$17.57€15.04
-73.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$93.4€79.9
-49.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$11.43€9.79
-22.66%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.12€3.53
-27.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$3.48€2.98
-78.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$3.18€2.73
-88.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$4.89€4.18
-50.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.79€3.25
-4.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.24€1.06
82.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$2.14€1.83
-14.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$2.31€1.97
-3.03%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.50€3.00
-33.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.13€10.38
62.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$11.98€10.26
-69.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$17.43€14.92
-24.84%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.75€2.35
23.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.37€2.03
-30.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.03€1.73
18.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.67€2.28
-23.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.91€1.63
-18.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.66€1.42
-9.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.34€1.15
-23.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.89€0.77
-44.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$12.66€10.83
-64.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$9.28€7.94
103.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.02€1.73
-11.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.16€1.85
27.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$5.92€5.07
-76.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$34.56€29.58
-66.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$6.45€5.52
-51.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.65€2.27
-62.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$34.60€29.62
-59.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.89€1.62
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.9K€25.6K
-8.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$37.5K€32.1K
-12.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$232€198
-46.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$21.75€18.62
-37.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$50.6€43.32
-63.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$26.18€22.41
134.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$17.13€14.66
-1.69%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$14.41€12.33
-36.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$648€555
7.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$13.7K€11.7K
13.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$113€96.5
-48.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$32.81€28.09
7.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$107€91.8
5.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$163€139
-46.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$877€751
-29.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$829€710
-46.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$1,404€1,202
45.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$1,225€1,048
21.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$3,103€2,657
21.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,558€2,190
3.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Vilvoorde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$3,896€3,335
-86.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.74
42.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Vilvoorde: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $877 in Vilvoorde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Vilvoorde pays 644% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $93.0 in Vilvoorde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $313 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 Vilvoorde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vilvoorde cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Vilvoorde?
On paper, Vilvoorde earns 644% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Vilvoorde?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $877 in Vilvoorde. 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 $648 in Vilvoorde. 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 Vilvoorde?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Vilvoorde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Vilvoorde?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,008 in Vilvoorde, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vilvoorde. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Vilvoorde more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vilvoorde, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Vilvoorde?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Vilvoorde 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 63% less than in Vilvoorde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.