Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $697 in Cahul versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 45% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$4.70 ฿153

83.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 627

$45.37 ฿1,482

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$8.43 ฿275

-10.68%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.31

$2.93 ฿95.6

-35.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MDL 16.93

$0.69 ฿22.40

42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.73

$0.37 ฿11.99

83.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.60

$2.41 ฿78.6

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.87

$3.72 ฿122

-37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$2.23 ฿72.9

-42.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$1.83 ฿59.8

-71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.88

$2.17 ฿70.8

-33.18%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.56

$2.21 ฿72.3

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$19.74 ฿645

-46.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.3

$3.63 ฿119

52.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$13.53 ฿442

-33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.55

$3.28 ฿107

-72.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$1.61 ฿52.6

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.66

$2.41 ฿78.6

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.73

$2.08 ฿68.1

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.20

$1.53 ฿49.93

-45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.12

$1.48 ฿48.36

-60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.25

$0.99 ฿32.29

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$0.51 ฿16.67

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$4.41 ฿144

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.7

$19.38 ฿633

-75.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.62

$1.78 ฿58.1

-29.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.10

$2.71 ฿88.6

-26.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.83

$3.02 ฿98.6

-31.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.99 ฿32.48

-72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.5

$14.10 ฿461

-63.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.32

$1.36 ฿44.51

3.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

12.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-4.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$173 MDL 2,969

$122 ฿3,975

41.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.41 MDL 127

$13.57 ฿443

-45.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 186

$18.31 ฿598

-41.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$8.69 ฿284

-13.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$384 MDL 6,606

$693 ฿22.6K

-44.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-51.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,128

$59.5 ฿1,944

10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 937

$34.77 ฿1,136

56.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,972

$115 ฿3,743

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,113

$83.3 ฿2,720

47.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,999

$508 ฿16.6K

3.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

5.33

73.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cahul vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $293 per month, with Cahul 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

Cahul vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cahul pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Cahul versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul 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.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.