😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Roodepoort versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Roodepoort versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,515 in Roodepoort versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Roodepoort is roughly 9% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Roodepoort is 2% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.18R 185
$4.55฿153
145.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.01R 745
$46.18฿1,554
-2.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.66R 77.2
$8.84฿298
-47.29%
Cappuccino
$2.05R 33.91
$3.06฿103
-33.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03R 17.01
$0.73฿24.42
41.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77R 12.82
$0.40฿13.40
92.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.28R 37.71
$2.43฿81.8
-6.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48R 41.11
$3.78฿127
-34.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.19R 19.76
$2.26฿76.0
-47.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.06R 17.62
$1.81฿60.9
-41.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64R 27.10
$2.25฿75.8
-27.11%
Eggs
$2.45R 40.50
$2.25฿75.6
8.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.46R 140
$19.51฿656
-56.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.69R 77.6
$3.65฿123
28.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.90R 114
$13.05฿439
-47.13%
Apples(1kg)
$1.62R 26.74
$3.23฿109
-49.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54R 25.52
$1.62฿54.4
-4.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.68R 27.78
$2.38฿80.2
-29.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.62R 26.82
$2.03฿68.2
-20.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31R 21.65
$1.53฿51.6
-14.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42R 23.49
$1.50฿50.5
-5.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08R 17.92
$0.98฿32.93
10.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12R 18.51
$0.52฿17.40
115.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.77R 45.88
$4.44฿149
-37.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.23R 103
$18.32฿616
-65.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32R 21.77
$1.86฿62.7
-29.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65R 27.36
$2.68฿90.2
-38.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.69R 27.96
$1.41฿47.49
19.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿394
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.14R 18.95
$3.11฿105
-63.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.89R 14.77
$1.04฿35.08
-14.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.03R 50.1
$14.11฿475
-78.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32R 21.87
$1.31฿44.13
0.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2KR 317.9K
$27.8K฿936.0K
-30.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1KR 399.7K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-27.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124R 2,057
$122฿4,120
1.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.44R 620
$13.59฿457
175.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.69R 707
$18.70฿629
128.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.99R 629
$60.5฿2,035
-37.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.29R 170
$16.98฿572
-39.40%
Cinema Ticket
$7.37R 122
$9.07฿305
-18.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$211R 3,494
$706฿23.8K
-70.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,931R 81.6K
$15.8K฿531.8K
-68.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.8R 841
$58.6฿1,970
-13.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.62R 523
$35.36฿1,190
-10.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.4R 1,481
$115฿3,885
-22.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4R 1,314
$83.7฿2,818
-5.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$571R 9,447
$626฿21.1K
-8.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$621R 10.3K
$445฿15.0K
39.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,418R 23.5K
$2,040฿68.7K
-30.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$875R 14.5K
$1,492฿50.2K
-41.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,483฿117.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roodepoort
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,562R 25.9K
$500฿16.8K
212.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.51
5.33
115.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Roodepoort: July 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Roodepoort and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Roodepoort pays 213% 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: $45.00 in Roodepoort vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $289 per month, with Roodepoort 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
Roodepoort vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Roodepoort?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Roodepoort or Phuket?
Average pay runs 213% higher in Roodepoort, 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 Roodepoort and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $571 in Roodepoort versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $211 in Roodepoort versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Roodepoort or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $45.00 in Roodepoort. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Roodepoort or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Roodepoort, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roodepoort. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Roodepoort or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roodepoort, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Roodepoort or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Roodepoort 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 9% less than in Roodepoort. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Roodepoort vs other spots: cost of living compared