😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,233 in Turnhout versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,247 in Turnhout versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,261 in Turnhout versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Turnhout is roughly 78% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Turnhout is 63% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.03€19.80
$4.56฿150
405.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9€57.5
$32.62฿1,073
104.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.41€14.11
$8.90฿293
84.38%
Cappuccino
$4.25€3.66
$2.80฿92.2
51.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23€2.77
$0.88฿28.94
267.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93€2.52
$0.49฿16.08
497.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51€4.74
$2.39฿78.5
130.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06€4.35
$3.71฿122
36.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09€0.93
$1.79฿58.8
-39.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.71€1.47
$1.44฿47.40
18.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.31€1.98
$1.58฿52.1
46.20%
Eggs
$4.27€3.68
$2.13฿69.9
100.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.40€8.94
$19.92฿655
-47.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.52€8.19
$3.43฿113
177.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.14€17.32
$11.33฿372
77.76%
Apples(1kg)
$2.91€2.50
$2.95฿97.0
-1.36%
Banana(1kg)
$2.55€2.19
$1.72฿56.6
48.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.75€2.36
$2.32฿76.5
18.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.05€2.62
$2.08฿68.4
46.63%
Potato(1kg)
$2.29€1.97
$1.47฿48.34
55.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00€1.72
$1.36฿44.65
47.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17€1.01
$1.10฿36.13
6.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10€0.94
$0.57฿18.89
92.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.40€11.52
$4.27฿140
213.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.16€4.44
$18.42฿606
-71.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.51
$1.87฿61.5
-5.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57€2.21
$2.92฿96.1
-11.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.87€2.47
$2.22฿73.0
29.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$52.1€44.76
$22.90฿753
127.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.70€10.06
$3.03฿99.6
286.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.99€2.57
$1.07฿35.32
179.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$53.4€45.92
$3.93฿129
1259.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94€1.66
$1.49฿49.06
30.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K€32.3K
$27.1K฿892.0K
38.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K€30.2K
$27.5K฿902.6K
27.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227€196
$103฿3,380
121.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.54€18.52
$10.99฿361
96.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.05€41.31
$17.51฿576
174.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$129€111
$53.5฿1,760
140.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.48€20.18
$11.20฿368
109.64%
Cinema Ticket
$13.86€11.91
$7.48฿246
85.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$579€498
$557฿18.3K
4.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$22.5K€19.3K
$11.9K฿389.7K
89.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112€96.1
$64.1฿2,107
74.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1€43.03
$29.07฿956
72.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114€97.6
$96.0฿3,155
18.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148€127
$90.3฿2,970
63.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$943€811
$730฿24.0K
29.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$822€707
$500฿16.4K
64.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,287€1,107
$2,090฿68.7K
-38.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,164€1,001
$1,209฿39.8K
-3.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,596฿118.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,512฿82.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turnhout
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,678€2,303
$503฿16.6K
432.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.2
5.57
-42.55%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turnhout: September 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $943 in Turnhout and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Turnhout pays 432% 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: $67.0 in Turnhout vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $273 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Turnhout or Phuket?
Average pay runs 432% higher in Turnhout, 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: $943 in Turnhout versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $579 in Turnhout versus $557 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Turnhout. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Turnhout or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,233 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 78% less than in Turnhout. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.