😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,130 in Villeurbanne versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,007 in Villeurbanne versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,884 in Villeurbanne versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Villeurbanne is roughly 68% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Villeurbanne is 59% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.41€14.99
$4.70฿153
270.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.6€50.4
$45.37฿1,482
29.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.47€11.59
$8.43฿275
59.79%
Cappuccino
$3.98€3.43
$2.93฿95.6
35.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89€2.49
$0.69฿22.40
318.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83€1.57
$0.37฿11.99
394.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.66€4.88
$2.41฿78.6
134.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11€6.12
$3.72฿122
91.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40€1.21
$2.23฿72.9
-37.22%
White Bread(500g)
$2.63€2.26
$1.83฿59.8
43.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.60€2.23
$2.17฿70.8
19.82%
Eggs
$4.08€3.52
$2.21฿72.3
84.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.97€17.19
$19.74฿645
1.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.36€13.23
$3.63฿119
323.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.62€22.06
$13.53฿442
89.36%
Apples(1kg)
$3.10€2.67
$3.28฿107
-5.49%
Banana(1kg)
$2.56€2.21
$1.61฿52.6
59.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.59€3.09
$2.41฿78.6
48.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.04€3.48
$2.08฿68.1
94.23%
Potato(1kg)
$2.42€2.08
$1.53฿49.93
58.17%
Onion(1kg)
$2.82€2.43
$1.48฿48.36
90.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49€1.28
$0.99฿32.29
50.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91€0.78
$0.51฿16.67
78.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.09€12.13
$4.41฿144
219.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.02€6.90
$19.38฿633
-58.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.95€2.54
$1.78฿58.1
65.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.67
$2.71฿88.6
14.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.32€2.00
$1.37฿44.79
69.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$83.0€71.4
$11.39฿372
628.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.30€4.56
$3.02฿98.6
75.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.89€1.63
$0.99฿32.48
90.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.43€28.78
$14.10฿461
137.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01€1.73
$1.36฿44.51
47.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2K€32.0K
$28.2K฿921.1K
31.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K€31.6K
$32.9K฿1.1M
11.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$200€172
$122฿3,975
64.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.67€19.52
$13.57฿443
67.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.83€29.98
$18.31฿598
90.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.28€32.09
$60.2฿1,967
-38.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.97€15.47
$17.14฿560
4.84%
Cinema Ticket
$14.05€12.09
$8.69฿284
61.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$750€645
$693฿22.6K
8.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,196€7,056
$15.7K฿512.3K
-47.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103€88.6
$59.5฿1,944
72.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.48€40.02
$34.77฿1,136
33.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$124€106
$115฿3,743
7.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179€154
$83.3฿2,720
114.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,053€907
$613฿20.0K
71.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$763€657
$437฿14.3K
74.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,198€1,032
$2,094฿68.4K
-42.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$898€773
$1,509฿49.3K
-40.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,104€3,533
$3,749฿122.5K
9.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,196€2,751
$2,616฿85.4K
22.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Villeurbanne
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,695€3,181
$508฿16.6K
627.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.67
5.33
-31.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Villeurbanne: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,053 in Villeurbanne and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Villeurbanne pays 627% 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: $59.0 in Villeurbanne vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 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
Villeurbanne vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Villeurbanne?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Villeurbanne or Phuket?
Villeurbanne pays 627% 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 Villeurbanne and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,053 in Villeurbanne 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 $750 in Villeurbanne 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 Villeurbanne and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Villeurbanne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Villeurbanne or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,130 in Villeurbanne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Villeurbanne. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Villeurbanne or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Villeurbanne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Villeurbanne or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Villeurbanne 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 68% less than in Villeurbanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Villeurbanne vs other spots: cost of living compared