😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,509 in Puerto del Rosario versus $1,223 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Puerto del Rosario versus $2,237 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,872 in Puerto del Rosario versus $3,251 in Phuket.
😐Living in Puerto del Rosario is roughly 23% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto del Rosario is 13% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.11€10.43
$4.51฿147
168.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.4€49.42
$46.62฿1,515
23.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.45€8.14
$8.49฿276
11.31%
Cappuccino
$2.28€1.97
$3.08฿100
-25.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18€1.88
$0.68฿22.07
220.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24€1.07
$0.36฿11.75
244.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.93€2.52
$2.43฿78.8
20.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27€3.67
$3.63฿118
17.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18€1.01
$2.19฿71.1
-46.12%
White Bread(500g)
$2.13€1.84
$1.81฿59.0
17.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.13€1.83
$2.23฿72.5
-4.48%
Eggs
$3.24€2.79
$2.24฿72.7
44.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.78€10.15
$19.60฿637
-39.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.50€8.18
$3.72฿121
155.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.81€14.47
$13.47฿438
24.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38€2.05
$3.36฿109
-29.17%
Banana(1kg)
$2.41€2.08
$1.62฿52.5
48.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.20€1.89
$2.41฿78.3
-8.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09€1.80
$1.99฿64.6
5.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78€1.53
$1.53฿49.76
16.34%
Onion(1kg)
$2.79€2.40
$1.45฿47.19
92.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.70€1.47
$1.01฿32.96
68.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61€0.52
$0.48฿15.73
27.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.66€4.01
$4.27฿139
9.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.89€5.07
$19.12฿621
-69.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.01
$1.84฿59.7
-35.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02€0.87
$2.74฿89.1
-62.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.60€1.38
$1.42฿46.06
12.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.45€29.66
$11.72฿381
193.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.44€2.96
$3.00฿97.6
14.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.14€1.84
$1.05฿34.00
103.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.82€19.65
$13.90฿452
64.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.66€1.43
$1.29฿41.94
28.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K€33.0K
$28.0K฿911.1K
36.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K€25.7K
$33.5K฿1.1M
-10.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.5€59.0
$122฿3,964
-43.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.29€17.47
$13.93฿453
45.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.80€25.66
$18.87฿613
57.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.8€45.44
$61.3฿1,992
-13.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.96€12.88
$16.84฿547
-11.16%
Cinema Ticket
$9.38€8.08
$8.89฿289
5.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$531€458
$691฿22.5K
-23.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,522€5,616
$16.2K฿525.2K
-59.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€86.6
$57.8฿1,878
74.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9€44.68
$35.39฿1,150
46.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.9€64.5
$113฿3,685
-33.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100€86.1
$83.0฿2,698
20.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$798€687
$607฿19.7K
31.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$626€539
$448฿14.6K
39.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,056€910
$2,029฿66.0K
-47.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$812€699
$1,493฿48.5K
-45.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,585฿116.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,585฿84.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto del Rosario
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$505฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.43
5.33
-35.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Puerto del Rosario: June 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Puerto del Rosario and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $57.0 in Puerto del Rosario vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,264 in Puerto del Rosario and $1,835 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: $798 in Puerto del Rosario versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $531 in Puerto del Rosario versus $691 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 $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,509 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 – expenses run 23% 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