ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,502 in Puerto del Rosario versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,200 in Puerto del Rosario versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,898 in Puerto del Rosario versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Puerto del Rosario is roughly 22% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Puerto del Rosario is 12% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.09âŽ10.35
$4.63āļŋ151
161.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0âŽ48.79
$46.84āļŋ1,532
21.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.07âŽ7.76
$8.84āļŋ289
2.60%
Cappuccino
$2.28âŽ1.95
$3.00āļŋ98.0
-24.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20âŽ1.89
$0.74āļŋ24.25
197.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21âŽ1.03
$0.37āļŋ11.95
227.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.83âŽ2.42
$2.44āļŋ79.8
15.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23âŽ3.62
$3.61āļŋ118
17.17%
ð Groceries & Markets
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23âŽ1.05
$2.26āļŋ73.9
-45.58%
White Bread(500g)
$2.03âŽ1.74
$1.84āļŋ60.1
10.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12âŽ1.81
$2.24āļŋ73.4
-5.36%
Eggs
$3.26âŽ2.79
$2.32āļŋ75.7
40.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.75âŽ10.06
$19.67āļŋ643
-40.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.19âŽ7.87
$3.65āļŋ119
151.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.64âŽ14.24
$13.10āļŋ428
27.02%
Apples(1kg)
$2.43âŽ2.08
$3.39āļŋ111
-28.32%
Banana(1kg)
$2.47âŽ2.11
$1.64āļŋ53.7
50.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29âŽ1.96
$2.41āļŋ79.0
-4.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13âŽ1.83
$2.03āļŋ66.4
4.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.71âŽ1.46
$1.56āļŋ50.9
9.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.70âŽ2.31
$1.50āļŋ48.94
80.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.77âŽ1.52
$1.02āļŋ33.50
73.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56âŽ0.48
$0.49āļŋ16.00
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53âŽ3.88
$4.45āļŋ145
1.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.55âŽ5.61
$18.88āļŋ617
-65.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14âŽ0.97
$1.78āļŋ58.1
-35.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05âŽ0.90
$2.75āļŋ90.1
-61.82%
ð Getting Around
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.60âŽ1.37
$1.40āļŋ45.81
14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.63âŽ29.64
$11.48āļŋ376
201.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.49âŽ2.99
$3.12āļŋ102
11.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02âŽ1.73
$1.00āļŋ32.67
102.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.22âŽ19.88
$14.09āļŋ461
64.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.60âŽ1.37
$1.35āļŋ44.19
18.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6KâŽ33.0K
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
41.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4KâŽ26.0K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-7.76%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.7âŽ60.5
$125āļŋ4,087
-43.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.94âŽ17.06
$13.57āļŋ444
46.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37âŽ25.14
$18.52āļŋ606
58.59%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.7âŽ44.25
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-15.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.28âŽ13.08
$16.84āļŋ551
-9.26%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19âŽ7.86
$9.19āļŋ300
-
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$524âŽ449
$698āļŋ22.8K
-24.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,543âŽ5,600
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
-58.04%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104âŽ89.0
$57.8āļŋ1,889
79.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.9âŽ45.26
$35.24āļŋ1,152
50.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.7âŽ64.8
$113āļŋ3,699
-33.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.8âŽ83.7
$86.4āļŋ2,825
13.23%
ð Accommodation & Living
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817âŽ699
$616āļŋ20.1K
32.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$624âŽ534
$446āļŋ14.6K
39.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,048âŽ897
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-48.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$821âŽ703
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-44.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.43
5.33
-35.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Puerto del Rosario: April 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $817 in Puerto del Rosario and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $57.0 in Puerto del Rosario vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $292, with Puerto del Rosario 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
Puerto del Rosario vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Puerto del Rosario?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,253 in Puerto del Rosario and $1,847 in Phuket 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 Puerto del Rosario and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $817 in Puerto del Rosario versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $524 in Puerto del Rosario versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Puerto del Rosario and Phuket?
Shoppers in Puerto del Rosario pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Puerto del Rosario or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,502 in Puerto del Rosario, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Puerto del Rosario. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Puerto del Rosario or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puerto del Rosario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Puerto del Rosario or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Puerto del Rosario and Phuket 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 22% less than in Puerto del Rosario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Puerto del Rosario vs other spots: cost of living compared