🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Treinta y Tres versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,600 in Treinta y Tres versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,170 in Treinta y Tres versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Treinta y Tres costs roughly 16% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Treinta y Tres25% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.62UYU 547
$4.41฿147
208.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.24UYU 1,737
$32.26฿1,075
34.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.80UYU 354
$8.93฿298
-1.46%
Cappuccino
$2.79UYU 112
$2.90฿96.5
-3.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68UYU 108
$0.88฿29.33
204.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00UYU 80.2
$0.48฿16.03
316.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.23UYU 89.4
$2.35฿78.3
-5.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90UYU 116
$3.72฿124
-22.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07UYU 42.92
$1.87฿62.2
-42.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.21UYU 88.6
$1.47฿48.86
50.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75UYU 70.5
$1.55฿51.7
12.90%
Eggs
$3.80UYU 153
$2.10฿70.0
80.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.35UYU 496
$19.59฿653
-36.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.93UYU 359
$3.42฿114
161.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.64UYU 307
$11.38฿379
-32.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.18UYU 87.4
$2.98฿99.4
-26.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.23UYU 49.27
$1.68฿56.1
-26.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52UYU 61.1
$2.21฿73.6
-31.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.33UYU 93.6
$2.16฿72.0
7.87%
Potato(1kg)
$1.21UYU 48.74
$1.52฿50.8
-20.39%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26UYU 90.9
$1.34฿44.59
68.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10UYU 44.13
$1.13฿37.60
-2.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92UYU 77.0
$0.55฿18.21
249.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.37UYU 216
$4.26฿142
26.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.45UYU 219
$19.09฿636
-71.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22UYU 89.2
$1.78฿59.3
24.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75UYU 111
$2.78฿92.7
-1.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.3
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿758
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.27UYU 51.2
$3.03฿101
-58.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.43UYU 17.33
$1.02฿34.09
-57.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.54UYU 423
$3.89฿130
170.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.96UYU 78.5
$1.49฿49.68
31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8KUYU 795.6K
$26.6K฿885.7K
-25.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8KUYU 1.5M
$27.0K฿900.6K
39.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$113UYU 4,532
$102฿3,414
10.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.31UYU 495
$11.33฿377
8.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.55UYU 1,468
$17.40฿580
110.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.28UYU 1,216
$52.1฿1,735
-41.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿369
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.03UYU 242
$7.69฿256
-21.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$176UYU 7,073
$561฿18.7K
-68.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,718UYU 109.2K
$11.5K฿383.4K
-76.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6UYU 2,474
$63.0฿2,100
-2.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.92UYU 800
$29.52฿984
-32.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2UYU 3,943
$98.0฿3,266
0.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111UYU 4,448
$88.5฿2,949
25.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$442UYU 17.7K
$738฿24.6K
-40.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$245UYU 9,823
$482฿16.1K
-49.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$624UYU 25.1K
$2,107฿70.2K
-70.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379UYU 15.2K
$1,226฿40.8K
-69.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$801UYU 32.2K
$3,617฿120.5K
-77.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$754UYU 30.3K
$494฿16.4K
52.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.57
-28.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Treinta y Tres: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Treinta y Tres and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Treinta y Tres pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Treinta y Tres vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $259 vs $274, with Treinta y Tres 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
Treinta y Tres vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Treinta y Tres?
Treinta y Tres is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Treinta y Tres or Phuket?
Average pay runs 53% higher in Treinta y Tres, 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 Treinta y Tres and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $442 in Treinta y Tres versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $176 in Treinta y Tres versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Treinta y Tres or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Treinta y Tres – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Treinta y Tres or in Phuket?
At $1,030 in Treinta y Tres versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Treinta y Tres but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Treinta y Tres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Treinta y Tres or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Treinta y Tres is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Treinta y Tres or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Treinta y Tres 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 Treinta y Tres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Treinta y Tres vs other spots: cost of living compared