🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,042 in Treinta y Tres versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Treinta y Tres versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in Treinta y Tres versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Treinta y Tres costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Treinta y Tres22% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.28UYU 538
$4.56฿149
191.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.53UYU 1,765
$46.63฿1,519
-6.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.50UYU 345
$8.47฿276
0.35%
Cappuccino
$2.67UYU 108
$3.03฿98.6
-11.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20UYU 89.1
$0.69฿22.45
218.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69UYU 68.6
$0.37฿11.92
356.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.15UYU 87.2
$2.49฿81.0
-13.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01UYU 122
$3.66฿119
-17.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10UYU 44.61
$2.18฿71.0
-49.54%
White Bread(500g)
$2.19UYU 88.7
$1.90฿62.0
15.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58UYU 64.1
$2.20฿71.6
-28.18%
Eggs
$3.72UYU 151
$2.22฿72.4
67.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.27UYU 498
$19.99฿651
-38.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.61UYU 349
$3.66฿119
135.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.48UYU 303
$13.25฿432
-43.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.15UYU 87.3
$3.23฿105
-33.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18UYU 48.00
$1.70฿55.3
-30.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44UYU 58.3
$2.39฿78.0
-39.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32UYU 93.9
$2.08฿67.7
11.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.19UYU 48.35
$1.59฿51.8
-25.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92UYU 77.9
$1.48฿48.31
29.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11UYU 45.09
$1.03฿33.54
7.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.67UYU 67.8
$0.52฿16.83
221.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12UYU 207
$4.25฿138
20.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.49UYU 223
$18.79฿612
-70.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16UYU 87.8
$1.76฿57.2
22.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99UYU 121
$2.76฿89.8
8.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.36฿44.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19UYU 48.42
$3.14฿102
-62.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.30UYU 93.3
$1.04฿33.74
121.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.24UYU 496
$13.77฿448
-11.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.85UYU 75.0
$1.34฿43.79
38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6KUYU 792.7K
$27.7K฿901.4K
-29.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6KUYU 1.4M
$33.9K฿1.1M
5.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$109UYU 4,433
$124฿4,025
-11.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.44UYU 504
$13.52฿440
-7.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.78UYU 1,491
$18.69฿609
96.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.74UYU 1,206
$61.8฿2,013
-51.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.04UYU 245
$9.14฿298
-33.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$169UYU 6,836
$703฿22.9K
-76.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,637UYU 106.9K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-83.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2UYU 2,439
$59.5฿1,937
1.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.33UYU 784
$35.07฿1,142
-44.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2UYU 3,901
$115฿3,754
-16.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108UYU 4,386
$84.1฿2,737
28.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$447UYU 18.1K
$619฿20.1K
-27.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$242UYU 9,806
$433฿14.1K
-44.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$610UYU 24.7K
$2,062฿67.2K
-70.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$373UYU 15.1K
$1,511฿49.2K
-75.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$786UYU 31.9K
$3,646฿118.7K
-78.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Treinta y Tres
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$730UYU 29.6K
$507฿16.5K
43.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.33
-24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Treinta y Tres: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Treinta y Tres and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Treinta y Tres pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Treinta y Tres vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $293 per month, with Treinta y Tres 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
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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Treinta y Tres or Phuket?
Treinta y Tres pays 44% 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 Treinta y Tres and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Treinta y Tres 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 $169 in Treinta y Tres versus $703 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 Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Treinta y Tres – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Treinta y Tres or Phuket?
At $1,042 in Treinta y Tres versus $1,261 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 21% 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