😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,868 in Turnhout versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,626 in Turnhout versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Turnhout versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Turnhout is roughly 48% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Turnhout is 39% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66€15.20
$4.70฿153
275.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8€55.8
$45.37฿1,482
42.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.44€9.85
$8.43฿275
35.71%
Cappuccino
$3.68€3.17
$2.93฿95.6
25.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93€2.52
$0.69฿22.40
324.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61€2.25
$0.37฿11.99
605.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.49€3.01
$2.41฿78.6
44.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64€3.13
$3.72฿122
-2.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.96€0.83
$2.23฿72.9
-56.95%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.82
$1.83฿59.8
15.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.01€2.59
$2.17฿70.8
38.71%
Eggs
$3.59€3.09
$2.21฿72.3
62.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.78€10.14
$19.74฿645
-40.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.34€8.90
$3.63฿119
184.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.27€14.87
$13.53฿442
27.64%
Apples(1kg)
$2.69€2.32
$3.28฿107
-17.99%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26€1.95
$1.61฿52.6
40.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.03€1.75
$2.41฿78.6
-15.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.55€2.19
$2.08฿68.1
22.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.17€1.87
$1.53฿49.93
41.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.71€1.47
$1.48฿48.36
15.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12€0.97
$0.99฿32.29
13.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24€1.07
$0.51฿16.67
143.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.37€6.35
$4.41฿144
67.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.16€4.44
$19.38฿633
-73.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31€1.13
$1.78฿58.1
-26.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20€1.89
$2.71฿88.6
-18.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.91€2.50
$1.37฿44.79
112.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.1€49.17
$11.39฿372
401.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.44€5.54
$3.02฿98.6
113.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.63€2.26
$0.99฿32.48
165.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.32€30.41
$14.10฿461
150.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.86€1.60
$1.36฿44.51
36.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K€26.0K
$28.2K฿921.1K
7.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K€25.0K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-11.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$182€157
$122฿3,975
49.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.76€18.73
$13.57฿443
60.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.71€41.08
$18.31฿598
160.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$75.2€64.7
$60.2฿1,967
24.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.17€14.78
$17.14฿560
0.18%
Cinema Ticket
$13.66€11.76
$8.69฿284
57.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$657€566
$693฿22.6K
-5.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.5K€11.6K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-13.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.7€79.8
$59.5฿1,944
55.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.72€28.17
$34.77฿1,136
-5.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.0€59.4
$115฿3,743
-39.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113€97.7
$83.3฿2,720
36.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$820€706
$613฿20.0K
33.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$687€592
$437฿14.3K
57.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,056€909
$2,094฿68.4K
-49.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$892€768
$1,509฿49.3K
-40.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,777€2,390
$508฿16.6K
446.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2
5.33
-62.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turnhout: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Turnhout and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Turnhout pays 446% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $65.0 in Turnhout vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $293 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Turnhout or Phuket?
Turnhout pays 446% 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 $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $657 in Turnhout versus $693 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 1% 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 $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,868 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 – expenses run 48% less than in Turnhout. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.