😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,989 in Tervuren versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,933 in Tervuren versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,877 in Tervuren versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Tervuren is roughly 57% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Tervuren is 49% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.60€20.44
$4.48฿150
426.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.5€80.1
$45.59฿1,521
102.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.70€10.13
$8.76฿292
33.56%
Cappuccino
$4.13€3.58
$2.97฿99.0
39.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05€3.51
$0.69฿22.90
486.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45€2.99
$0.39฿13.04
784.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.23€4.53
$2.53฿84.4
106.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68€4.06
$3.75฿125
24.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41€1.22
$2.15฿71.6
-34.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.34€2.02
$1.82฿60.6
28.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.59
$2.18฿72.9
37.16%
Eggs
$3.45€2.98
$2.25฿75.0
53.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.87€10.28
$20.00฿667
-40.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.93€8.60
$3.63฿121
173.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.31€14.99
$13.56฿452
27.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.33€2.01
$3.24฿108
-28.09%
Banana(1kg)
$2.25€1.95
$1.64฿54.6
37.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.09€1.81
$2.33฿77.8
-10.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.34€2.03
$2.07฿69.1
13.04%
Potato(1kg)
$2.14€1.85
$1.55฿51.6
38.06%
Onion(1kg)
$1.59€1.38
$1.46฿48.54
8.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.97€0.84
$0.98฿32.86
-1.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26€1.09
$0.48฿16.09
162.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.58€10.89
$4.35฿145
189.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.43€6.43
$18.57฿620
-59.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98€1.71
$1.86฿61.9
6.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18€1.89
$2.65฿88.6
-17.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.85€2.47
$1.42฿47.28
100.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.3€49.61
$11.57฿386
395.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.20€5.37
$3.17฿106
95.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.65€2.29
$1.03฿34.41
157.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.07€30.37
$13.89฿463
152.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.85€1.60
$1.34฿44.84
38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K€25.8K
$27.8K฿927.1K
7.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7K€24.8K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-14.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$181€156
$123฿4,105
46.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.06€18.24
$13.77฿459
52.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.54€41.17
$18.33฿611
159.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.30€33.17
$60.7฿2,025
-36.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.76€14.52
$17.16฿573
-2.33%
Cinema Ticket
$14.52€12.58
$8.87฿296
63.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$660€572
$688฿22.9K
-4.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4K€11.6K
$15.8K฿526.4K
-15.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€91.3
$59.3฿1,978
77.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.31€27.98
$34.69฿1,157
-6.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$116€100
$115฿3,843
0.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132€114
$83.8฿2,794
57.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891€772
$621฿20.7K
43.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$753€652
$446฿14.9K
68.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,366€1,183
$2,034฿67.8K
-32.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,092€945
$1,496฿49.9K
-27.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,058€3,514
$3,455฿115.3K
17.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,005€2,602
$2,531฿84.4K
18.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tervuren
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.42
5.33
-35.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tervuren: July 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Tervuren and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $93.0 in Tervuren vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $291 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,984 in Tervuren and $1,896 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: $891 in Tervuren versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $660 in Tervuren versus $688 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Tervuren. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tervuren or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,989 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 – expenses run 57% less than in Tervuren. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.