ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,834 in Turnhout versus $1,247 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,636 in Turnhout versus $2,276 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,439 in Turnhout versus $3,306 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Turnhout is roughly 47% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Turnhout is 36% above, Phuket is 7% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.54âŽ14.93
$4.59āļŋ147
282.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.5âŽ54.0
$46.83āļŋ1,501
35.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.38âŽ9.69
$8.70āļŋ279
30.80%
Cappuccino
$3.67âŽ3.13
$2.92āļŋ93.7
25.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86âŽ2.44
$0.68āļŋ21.92
320.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54âŽ2.16
$0.40āļŋ12.70
535.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.37âŽ2.87
$2.51āļŋ80.4
34.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62âŽ3.08
$3.80āļŋ122
-4.74%
ð Groceries & Markets
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.93âŽ0.79
$2.16āļŋ69.3
-56.94%
White Bread(500g)
$2.09âŽ1.77
$1.88āļŋ60.3
11.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.00âŽ2.55
$2.16āļŋ69.2
38.89%
Eggs
$3.46âŽ2.95
$2.22āļŋ71.2
55.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.95âŽ10.17
$19.57āļŋ627
-38.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.16âŽ8.65
$3.80āļŋ122
167.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.33âŽ14.75
$13.41āļŋ430
29.23%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64âŽ2.24
$3.26āļŋ104
-19.02%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26âŽ1.92
$1.61āļŋ51.7
40.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01âŽ1.71
$2.31āļŋ74.0
-12.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.57âŽ2.19
$2.06āļŋ66.0
24.76%
Potato(1kg)
$2.14âŽ1.83
$1.61āļŋ51.5
32.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.64âŽ1.40
$1.44āļŋ46.26
13.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13âŽ0.96
$1.03āļŋ33.01
9.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24âŽ1.05
$0.48āļŋ15.39
158.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.47âŽ6.35
$4.50āļŋ144
66.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.40âŽ4.59
$19.18āļŋ615
-71.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30âŽ1.11
$1.82āļŋ58.4
-28.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08âŽ1.77
$2.69āļŋ86.2
-22.68%
ð Getting Around
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.92âŽ2.48
$1.38āļŋ44.16
111.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.6âŽ47.34
$11.76āļŋ377
373.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.22âŽ5.30
$3.11āļŋ99.6
100.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.68âŽ2.28
$1.00āļŋ32.18
168.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.99âŽ29.78
$13.74āļŋ441
154.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.91âŽ1.63
$1.30āļŋ41.61
46.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9KâŽ25.5K
$27.4Kāļŋ877.0K
9.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1KâŽ23.9K
$33.0Kāļŋ1.1M
-14.78%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$185âŽ157
$125āļŋ4,004
47.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.34âŽ18.16
$13.74āļŋ440
55.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.37âŽ41.16
$18.61āļŋ597
159.91%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$75.7âŽ64.4
$60.6āļŋ1,941
24.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.29âŽ14.72
$17.15āļŋ550
0.82%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95âŽ11.87
$9.01āļŋ289
54.83%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$658âŽ560
$698āļŋ22.4K
-5.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.6KâŽ11.5K
$16.1Kāļŋ516.5K
-15.76%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.0âŽ80.0
$59.2āļŋ1,898
58.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.92âŽ27.16
$34.86āļŋ1,118
-8.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$68.5âŽ58.3
$114āļŋ3,662
-40.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116âŽ98.4
$85.8āļŋ2,751
34.73%
ð Accommodation & Living
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$820âŽ698
$619āļŋ19.8K
32.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$697âŽ593
$437āļŋ14.0K
59.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063âŽ905
$2,075āļŋ66.5K
-48.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$920âŽ783
$1,509āļŋ48.4K
-39.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,442âŽ2,929
$3,764āļŋ120.7K
-8.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,562âŽ2,180
$2,694āļŋ86.4K
-4.88%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,783âŽ2,368
$528āļŋ16.9K
426.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2
5.33
-62.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turnhout: April 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Turnhout and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Turnhout pays 427% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $63 in Turnhout vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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
Turnhout vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Turnhout?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Turnhout or Phuket?
Turnhout pays 427% 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 Turnhout and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $820 in Turnhout 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 $658 in Turnhout 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 Turnhout and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Turnhout. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Turnhout or Phuket?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,834 in Turnhout, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Turnhout. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Turnhout or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Turnhout, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Turnhout or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Turnhout 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 47% less than in Turnhout. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.