๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,376 in Roลพลava versus $1,261 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,949 in Roลพลava versus $2,286 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,521 in Roลพลava versus $3,310 in Phuket.
๐Living in Roลพลava is roughly 9% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Roลพลava is 2% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.52โฌ8.26
$4.56เธฟ150
108.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.45โฌ24.67
$46.63เธฟ1,533
-38.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.12โฌ7.91
$8.47เธฟ278
7.67%
Cappuccino
$1.14โฌ0.98
$3.03เธฟ99.5
-62.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98โฌ1.71
$0.69เธฟ22.65
186.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62โฌ1.41
$0.37เธฟ12.03
337.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.30โฌ1.99
$2.49เธฟ81.8
-7.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10โฌ1.82
$3.66เธฟ120
-42.62%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09โฌ0.94
$2.18เธฟ71.7
-50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$0.95โฌ0.82
$1.90เธฟ62.5
-50.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.28โฌ1.98
$2.20เธฟ72.3
3.64%
Eggs
$3.44โฌ2.98
$2.22เธฟ73.1
54.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20โฌ7.98
$19.99เธฟ657
-53.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.43โฌ6.44
$3.66เธฟ120
103.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.46โฌ9.93
$13.25เธฟ436
-13.51%
Apples(1kg)
$1.19โฌ1.03
$3.23เธฟ106
-63.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46โฌ1.27
$1.70เธฟ55.8
-14.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30โฌ1.99
$2.39เธฟ78.7
-3.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.00โฌ3.47
$2.08เธฟ68.3
92.31%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71โฌ0.62
$1.59เธฟ52.3
-55.35%
Onion(1kg)
$0.72โฌ0.62
$1.48เธฟ48.76
-51.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40โฌ1.22
$1.03เธฟ33.85
35.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71โฌ0.61
$0.52เธฟ16.99
36.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.73โฌ4.97
$4.25เธฟ140
34.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.55โฌ3.08
$18.79เธฟ618
-81.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.67โฌ0.58
$1.76เธฟ57.8
-61.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40โฌ1.21
$2.76เธฟ90.6
-49.28%
๐ Getting Around
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18โฌ1.03
$1.36เธฟ44.73
-13.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.20โฌ25.33
$11.36เธฟ374
157.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.36โฌ2.04
$3.14เธฟ103
-24.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.85โฌ0.74
$1.04เธฟ34.05
-18.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.14โฌ12.26
$13.77เธฟ452
2.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83โฌ1.58
$1.34เธฟ44.20
36.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9Kโฌ21.6K
$27.7Kเธฟ909.7K
-10.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5Kโฌ22.1K
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
-24.79%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$229โฌ198
$124เธฟ4,062
85.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.45โฌ24.67
$13.52เธฟ444
110.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.81โฌ19.78
$18.69เธฟ614
22.04%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.75โฌ37.07
$61.8เธฟ2,032
-30.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16โฌ14.88
$17.25เธฟ567
-0.52%
Cinema Ticket
$8.58โฌ7.44
$9.14เธฟ300
-6.13%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$458โฌ397
$703เธฟ23.1K
-34.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,320โฌ6,348
$15.9Kเธฟ521.7K
-53.88%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.1โฌ52.9
$59.5เธฟ1,955
2.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.53โฌ27.34
$35.07เธฟ1,153
-10.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.3โฌ71.3
$115เธฟ3,789
-28.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103โฌ89.5
$84.1เธฟ2,763
22.80%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$586โฌ508
$619เธฟ20.3K
-5.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$487โฌ423
$433เธฟ14.2K
12.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963โฌ835
$2,062เธฟ67.8K
-53.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$753โฌ653
$1,511เธฟ49.7K
-50.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646เธฟ119.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626เธฟ86.3K
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Roลพลava
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507เธฟ16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.16
5.33
-21.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Roลพลava: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Roลพลava and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $28.00 in Roลพลava vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $293 per month, with Roลพลava 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
Roลพลava vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Roลพลava?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,064 in Roลพลava and $1,892 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 Roลพลava and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $586 in Roลพลava versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $458 in Roลพลava versus $703 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 Roลพลava and Phuket?
Shoppers in Roลพลava pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Roลพลava or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,376 in Roลพลava, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roลพลava. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Roลพลava or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roลพลava, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Roลพลava or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Roลพลava 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 โ expenses run 9% less than in Roลพลava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.