😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,310 in Roquetas de Mar versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,895 in Roquetas de Mar versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,480 in Roquetas de Mar versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Roquetas de Mar is roughly 6% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Roquetas de Mar2% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.70€10.00
$4.63฿151
152.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2€48.84
$46.84฿1,523
22.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.80€10.07
$8.84฿287
33.48%
Cappuccino
$1.57€1.34
$3.00฿97.4
-47.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98€2.55
$0.74฿24.11
302.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70€1.45
$0.37฿11.88
359.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95€2.52
$2.44฿79.3
20.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84€2.42
$3.61฿117
-21.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29€1.10
$2.26฿73.5
-42.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51€1.29
$1.84฿59.8
-17.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14€0.97
$2.24฿73.0
-49.11%
Eggs
$3.51€3.00
$2.32฿75.3
51.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.43€8.06
$19.67฿639
-52.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.78€6.65
$3.65฿119
113.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.66€15.08
$13.10฿426
34.81%
Apples(1kg)
$2.06€1.76
$3.39฿110
-39.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76€1.50
$1.64฿53.4
7.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.08€0.93
$2.41฿78.5
-55.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61€1.37
$2.03฿66.0
-20.69%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36€2.02
$1.56฿50.6
51.28%
Onion(1kg)
$1.21€1.03
$1.50฿48.66
-19.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.57€0.49
$1.02฿33.30
-44.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68€0.58
$0.49฿15.91
38.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.59€5.63
$4.45฿145
48.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.09€4.35
$18.88฿614
-73.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.18
$1.78฿57.7
-22.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26€1.93
$2.75฿89.5
-17.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.40€0.35
$1.40฿45.54
-71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.64€29.58
$11.48฿373
201.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.42€2.92
$3.12฿101
9.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.23€1.05
$1.00฿32.48
23.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.76€11.75
$14.09฿458
-2.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.78€1.52
$1.35฿43.93
31.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9K€33.2K
$27.2K฿883.7K
43.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K€25.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-9.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118€100
$125฿4,063
-5.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.85€4.99
$13.57฿441
-56.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.18€19.80
$18.52฿602
25.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.60€32.11
$61.5฿1,999
-38.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.95€12.76
$16.84฿547
-11.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.22€7.87
$9.19฿299
0.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$456€390
$698฿22.7K
-34.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2K€9,601
$15.6K฿506.9K
-27.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.5€75.6
$57.8฿1,878
53.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7€46.67
$35.24฿1,146
55.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$58.3€49.81
$113฿3,677
-48.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110€93.5
$86.4฿2,808
26.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$586€501
$616฿20.0K
-4.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$513€438
$446฿14.5K
15.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$823€703
$2,048฿66.6K
-59.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619€529
$1,492฿48.5K
-58.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,077€1,774
$3,779฿122.8K
-45.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,691€1,444
$2,649฿86.1K
-36.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roquetas de Mar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,331€1,137
$524฿17.0K
154.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.9
5.33
-26.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Roquetas de Mar: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Roquetas de Mar and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Roquetas de Mar pays 154% 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: $57.0 in Roquetas de Mar vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $292, with Roquetas de Mar 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
Roquetas de Mar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Roquetas de Mar?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Roquetas de Mar or Phuket?
Roquetas de Mar pays 154% 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 Roquetas de Mar and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $586 in Roquetas de Mar 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 $456 in Roquetas de Mar 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 Roquetas de Mar and Phuket?
Shoppers in Roquetas de Mar pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Roquetas de Mar or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,310 in Roquetas de Mar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roquetas de Mar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Roquetas de Mar or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roquetas de Mar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Roquetas de Mar or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Roquetas de Mar 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 6% less than in Roquetas de Mar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Roquetas de Mar vs other spots: cost of living compared