Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Calarasi: $884 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Calarasi
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Calarasi Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Calarasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$884

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calarasi and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calarasi and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $884 per month in Calarasi vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

Calarasi $884
Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $1,371 per month in Calarasi vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

Calarasi $1,371
Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $1,858 per month in Calarasi vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

Calarasi $1,858
Phuket $2,845

Calarasi is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Calarasi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 35% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 RON 42.55

$4.40 ฿147

104.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.27 RON 162

$32.26 ฿1,078

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 RON 37.01

$8.76 ฿293

-10.73%

Cappuccino

$2.09 RON 9.90

$2.83 ฿94.5

-26.15%

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

$1.85 RON 8.77

$0.90 ฿30.14

105.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$0.47 ฿15.56

246.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 RON 7.65

$2.55 ฿85.2

-36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 RON 7.04

$3.83 ฿128

-61.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 RON 6.88

$1.73 ฿57.7

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 RON 4.52

$1.47 ฿49.11

-34.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 7.06

$1.51 ฿50.6

-1.32%

Eggs

$2.75 RON 13.00

$2.17 ฿72.7

26.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.59 RON 35.91

$19.70 ฿658

-61.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$3.34 ฿112

24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 RON 40.77

$11.16 ฿373

-22.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 RON 5.19

$2.85 ฿95.1

-61.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.59

$1.70 ฿56.9

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 RON 6.02

$2.19 ฿73.3

-42.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.87

$2.05 ฿68.4

-29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 RON 2.06

$1.45 ฿48.57

-70.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 RON 2.85

$1.38 ฿46.16

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 RON 1.89

$1.07 ฿35.69

-62.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.65

$0.51 ฿16.91

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.27 RON 29.65

$4.26 ฿142

47.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.19 RON 19.84

$18.58 ฿621

-77.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.64

$1.78 ฿59.7

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 RON 6.58

$2.85 ฿95.2

-51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 RON 2.08

$2.26 ฿75.6

-80.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.59 RON 59.6

$22.10 ฿738

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 RON 2.85

$3.01 ฿101

-80.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.87

$1.06 ฿35.34

-42.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 RON 29.37

$3.86 ฿129

60.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.74

$1.45 ฿48.45

12.41%

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

$28.1K RON 132.8K

$26.3K ฿879.9K

6.59%

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

$25.1K RON 118.6K

$26.9K ฿900.4K

-6.97%

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

$164 RON 777

$96.4 ฿3,221

70.35%

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

$6.23 RON 29.48

$11.04 ฿369

-43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.75 RON 31.92

$17.14 ฿573

-60.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 RON 227

$52.2 ฿1,744

-8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.2 RON 252

$11.16 ฿373

376.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 RON 38.94

$7.81 ฿261

5.38%

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

$399 RON 1,888

$556 ฿18.6K

-28.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,817 RON 27.5K

$11.6K ฿387.0K

-49.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 RON 347

$64.2 ฿2,146

14.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.12 RON 99.9

$28.69 ฿959

-26.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 RON 430

$95.4 ฿3,187

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 RON 458

$88.0 ฿2,940

10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 RON 1,465

$737 ฿24.6K

-57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 RON 880

$462 ฿15.5K

-59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 RON 1,958

$2,095 ฿70.0K

-80.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 RON 1,517

$1,201 ฿40.1K

-73.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,187 RON 5,614

$3,488 ฿116.6K

-65.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$946 RON 4,474

$2,523 ฿84.3K

-62.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 RON 3,380

$501 ฿16.7K

42.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.85

5.57

40.93%

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

Last update for Calarasi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calarasi

$186 21%

Phuket

$462 38.3% 149% $276

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calarasi

$177 20%

Phuket

$125 10.3% 29.7% $53

Groceries & Markets

Calarasi

$166 18.8%

Phuket

$269 22.2% 61.7% $103

Eating Out

Calarasi

$146 16.5%

Phuket

$121 10% 16.7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Calarasi

$127 14.4%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 2.1% $2.6

Sport & Entertainment

Calarasi

$64 7.3%

Phuket

$68 5.6% 5.2% $3.4

Getting Around

Calarasi

$18 2%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 119% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Calarasi versus $737 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Calarasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Calarasi versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Calarasi vs $269 in Phuket – so Calarasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Calarasi

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

13:50 1:50 PM

17:50 5:50 PM

4 h ahead of Calarasi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,181

79,308

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Calarasi Phuket 7,890 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Calarasi
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Calarasi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $884 in Calarasi, $1,208 in Phuket – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Calarasi and $1,813 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $399 per month in Calarasi and $556 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $884 in Calarasi to $1,208 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.