Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cugir and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Cugir: $866 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Cugir, Romania
Phuket, Thailand
Cugir
🇷🇴 Romania
$866
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cugir 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 Cugir and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Cugir vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cugir $866
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $1,273 per month in Cugir vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cugir $1,273
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $1,680 per month in Cugir vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cugir $1,680
  • Phuket $3,115

Cugir is about 33% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cugir and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cugir 36% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.71 RON 27.13
$4.39 ฿147
30.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.29 RON 101
$32.31 ฿1,085
-34.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.28 RON 34.61
$8.70 ฿292
-16.32%
Cappuccino
$1.50 RON 7.13
$2.72 ฿91.5
-44.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 RON 6.50
$0.93 ฿31.25
47.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 RON 5.52
$0.50 ฿16.78
132.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.43 RON 6.81
$2.53 ฿85.0
-43.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 RON 10.14
$3.63 ฿122
-41.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 RON 5.94
$1.74 ฿58.4
-28.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 RON 5.68
$1.45 ฿48.73
-17.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 RON 8.41
$1.50 ฿50.5
18.00%
Eggs
$2.66 RON 12.63
$2.17 ฿73.0
22.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 RON 34.69
$19.09 ฿641
-61.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.69 RON 22.27
$3.40 ฿114
37.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.39 RON 49.40
$10.90 ฿366
-4.68%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 RON 7.92
$2.94 ฿98.8
-43.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 RON 8.44
$1.69 ฿56.8
4.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 RON 8.16
$2.19 ฿73.7
-21.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.40 RON 6.64
$2.12 ฿71.4
-33.96%
Potato (1kg)
$0.80 RON 3.78
$1.46 ฿48.99
-45.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.87 RON 4.12
$1.37 ฿45.95
-36.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 RON 5.70
$1.08 ฿36.14
11.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 RON 3.86
$0.55 ฿18.32
47.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 RON 24.79
$4.43 ฿149
17.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 RON 27.35
$18.25 ฿613
-68.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 RON 5.86
$1.77 ฿59.5
-30.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 RON 8.28
$2.88 ฿96.8
-39.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.71 RON 3.39
$1.45 ฿48.62
-51.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.52 RON 102
$54.9 ฿1,844
-60.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.54 RON 2.56
$1.51 ฿50.8
-64.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.54 RON 2.57
$0.78 ฿26.06
-30.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.26 RON 25.02
$3.84 ฿129
36.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 RON 6.51
$1.49 ฿49.96
-8.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K RON 133.9K
$26.9K ฿902.9K
4.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K RON 119.9K
$26.3K ฿884.9K
-4.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 RON 581
$97.8 ฿3,285
24.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.30 RON 39.47
$11.29 ฿379
-26.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.09 RON 33.69
$17.19 ฿577
-58.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.70 RON 155
$68.3 ฿2,295
-52.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.90 RON 109
$10.92 ฿367
109.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.28 RON 25.08
$7.43 ฿250
-28.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$156 RON 742
$530 ฿17.8K
-70.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,898 RON 18.5K
$18.8K ฿630.9K
-79.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.54 RON 150
$61.7 ฿2,072
-48.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.46 RON 40.22
$28.25 ฿949
-70.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 RON 333
$96.0 ฿3,225
-26.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4 RON 349
$86.8 ฿2,916
-15.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$420 RON 1,997
$721 ฿24.2K
-41.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$277 RON 1,316
$509 ฿17.1K
-45.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$684 RON 3,249
$1,950 ฿65.5K
-64.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$422 RON 2,007
$1,397 ฿46.9K
-69.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,155 RON 10.2K
$4,192 ฿140.8K
-48.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,188 RON 5,647
$3,298 ฿110.8K
-63.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cugir
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$531 RON 2,525
$492 ฿16.5K
8.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.35
5.57
31.96%

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

Last update for Cugir: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cugir
$277
Phuket
$509 83.8% $232
Groceries & Markets
Cugir
$191
Phuket
$267 39.5% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cugir
$138
Phuket
$126 8.2% $11
Eating Out
Cugir
$107
Phuket
$120 11.7% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Cugir
$83
Phuket
$123 48.6% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Cugir
$43
Phuket
$83 92.3% $40
Getting Around
Cugir
$28
Phuket
$66 139% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Cugir versus $721 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 8% higher in Cugir, 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 $21 in Cugir versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $267 – making Cugir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Cugir
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
03:36 3:36 AM
08:36 8:36 AM
5 h ahead of Cugir
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,780
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cugir Phuket 8,220 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cugir
  • 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
Cugir vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cugir cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Cugir and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cugir, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $420 there versus $721 in Phuket.
Is eating out cheaper in Cugir or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Cugir and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cugir and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Cugir and $1,294 in Phuket. That makes Cugir about 33% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Cugir or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cugir, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Cugir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cugir or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cugir – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Cugir is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 33% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Cugir vs other spots: cost of living compared

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