ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,001 in Tervuren versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in Tervuren versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Tervuren versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Tervuren is roughly 62% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Tervuren is 49% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.80âŽ19.48
$4.63āļŋ151
392.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.9âŽ77.7
$46.84āļŋ1,523
94.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.37âŽ9.71
$8.84āļŋ287
28.62%
Cappuccino
$4.36âŽ3.73
$3.00āļŋ97.4
45.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01âŽ3.43
$0.74āļŋ24.11
441.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36âŽ2.87
$0.37āļŋ11.88
808.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.09âŽ4.35
$2.44āļŋ79.3
108.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50âŽ3.85
$3.61āļŋ117
24.65%
ð Groceries & Markets
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36âŽ1.16
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-39.82%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30âŽ1.96
$1.84āļŋ59.8
25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99âŽ2.56
$2.24āļŋ73.0
33.48%
Eggs
$3.45âŽ2.95
$2.32āļŋ75.3
48.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.78âŽ10.06
$19.67āļŋ639
-40.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.59âŽ8.19
$3.65āļŋ119
162.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.69âŽ15.11
$13.10āļŋ426
35.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24âŽ1.91
$3.39āļŋ110
-33.92%
Banana(1kg)
$2.24âŽ1.91
$1.64āļŋ53.4
36.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05âŽ1.75
$2.41āļŋ78.5
-14.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.37âŽ2.03
$2.03āļŋ66.0
16.75%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16âŽ1.84
$1.56āļŋ50.6
38.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.59âŽ1.36
$1.50āļŋ48.66
6.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90âŽ0.77
$1.02āļŋ33.30
-11.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22âŽ1.05
$0.49āļŋ15.91
148.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.57âŽ10.73
$4.45āļŋ145
182.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.43âŽ6.34
$18.88āļŋ614
-60.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92âŽ1.64
$1.78āļŋ57.7
7.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16âŽ1.85
$2.75āļŋ89.5
-21.45%
ð Getting Around
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.84âŽ2.42
$1.40āļŋ45.54
102.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.7âŽ47.55
$11.48āļŋ373
384.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.42âŽ5.48
$3.12āļŋ101
105.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.64âŽ2.26
$1.00āļŋ32.48
164.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.32âŽ29.31
$14.09āļŋ458
143.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.85âŽ1.58
$1.35āļŋ43.93
37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KâŽ26.0K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
11.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0KâŽ23.9K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-14.99%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179âŽ153
$125āļŋ4,063
43.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.07âŽ17.99
$13.57āļŋ441
55.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.77âŽ41.65
$18.52āļŋ602
163.34%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.02âŽ32.47
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-38.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.69âŽ14.26
$16.84āļŋ547
-0.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28âŽ12.20
$9.19āļŋ299
55.39%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$668âŽ570
$698āļŋ22.7K
-4.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.7KâŽ11.7K
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-11.99%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105âŽ89.7
$57.8āļŋ1,878
81.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.04âŽ28.21
$35.24āļŋ1,146
-6.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$116âŽ99.2
$113āļŋ3,677
2.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134âŽ114
$86.4āļŋ2,808
54.64%
ð Accommodation & Living
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$886âŽ757
$616āļŋ20.0K
43.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$742âŽ634
$446āļŋ14.5K
66.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,360âŽ1,161
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-33.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,103âŽ942
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-26.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,625âŽ3,096
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
-4.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,504âŽ2,139
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
-5.46%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.42
5.33
-35.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tervuren: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $886 in Tervuren and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $91.0 in Tervuren vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $292 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
Tervuren vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tervuren?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,002 in Tervuren and $1,847 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 Tervuren and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $886 in Tervuren 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 $668 in Tervuren 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 Tervuren and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Tervuren. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tervuren or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,001 in Tervuren, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tervuren. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tervuren or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tervuren, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tervuren or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tervuren 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 â expenses run 62% less than in Tervuren. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.