😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in Rijswijk versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,843 in Rijswijk versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,080 in Rijswijk versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Rijswijk is roughly 106% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Rijswijk is 94% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.55€20.26
$4.70฿153
401.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$106€91.3
$45.37฿1,482
133.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.32€8.02
$8.43฿275
10.56%
Cappuccino
$4.66€4.01
$2.93฿95.6
59.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48€2.99
$0.69฿22.40
404.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96€2.55
$0.37฿11.99
700.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.99€6.01
$2.41฿78.6
190.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.92€5.95
$3.72฿122
86.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42€1.22
$2.23฿72.9
-36.32%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40€2.07
$1.83฿59.8
31.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77€1.53
$2.17฿70.8
-18.43%
Eggs
$5.11€4.40
$2.21฿72.3
131.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.03€12.07
$19.74฿645
-28.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.53€12.49
$3.63฿119
300.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.21€13.95
$13.53฿442
19.81%
Apples(1kg)
$2.85€2.45
$3.28฿107
-13.11%
Banana(1kg)
$2.58€2.22
$1.61฿52.6
60.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22€1.91
$2.41฿78.6
-7.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.86€4.18
$2.08฿68.1
133.65%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05€1.76
$1.53฿49.93
33.99%
Onion(1kg)
$1.71€1.47
$1.48฿48.36
15.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.16
$0.99฿32.29
36.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21€1.04
$0.51฿16.67
137.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.62€12.58
$4.41฿144
231.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.98€5.15
$19.38฿633
-69.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67€1.44
$1.78฿58.1
-6.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04€2.61
$2.71฿88.6
12.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.64€3.13
$1.37฿44.79
165.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$91.6€78.8
$11.39฿372
703.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.74€4.08
$3.02฿98.6
56.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.13€2.69
$0.99฿32.48
216.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$64.9€55.8
$14.10฿461
360.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.12€1.82
$1.36฿44.51
55.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.1K€37.9K
$28.2K฿921.1K
56.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K€33.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
17.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$306€263
$122฿3,975
151.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.74€18.70
$13.57฿443
60.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.0€43.88
$18.31฿598
178.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.10€35.36
$60.2฿1,967
-31.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.51€20.22
$17.14฿560
37.16%
Cinema Ticket
$17.20€14.79
$8.69฿284
97.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,779€2,390
$693฿22.6K
300.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,870€6,770
$15.7K฿512.3K
-49.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.9€85.9
$59.5฿1,944
67.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.58€42.65
$34.77฿1,136
42.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$126€109
$115฿3,743
10.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136€117
$83.3฿2,720
63.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,447€1,245
$613฿20.0K
135.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,189€1,023
$437฿14.3K
172.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,287€1,967
$2,094฿68.4K
9.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,742€1,499
$1,509฿49.3K
15.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rijswijk
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,910€3,364
$508฿16.6K
669.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.02
5.33
-24.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rijswijk: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,447 in Rijswijk and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rijswijk pays 670% 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: $106 in Rijswijk vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $293 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
Rijswijk vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Rijswijk?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rijswijk or Phuket?
Rijswijk pays 670% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Rijswijk and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,447 in Rijswijk versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,779 in Rijswijk versus $693 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 Rijswijk and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Rijswijk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Rijswijk or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,605 in Rijswijk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rijswijk. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rijswijk or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rijswijk, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rijswijk or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Rijswijk 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 106% less than in Rijswijk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.