Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Durres versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Durres versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in Durres versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Durres costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durres 22% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.49 ALL 776
$4.56 ฿149
108.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.73 ALL 2,838
$46.63 ฿1,519
-25.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.02 ALL 574
$8.47 ฿276
-17.12%
Cappuccino
$1.87 ALL 153
$3.03 ฿98.6
-38.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ALL 130
$0.69 ฿22.45
130.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ALL 68.1
$0.37 ฿11.92
124.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 ALL 191
$2.49 ฿81.0
-6.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 ALL 270
$3.66 ฿119
-9.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 ALL 162
$2.18 ฿71.0
-8.72%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 ALL 74.3
$1.90 ฿62.0
-52.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ALL 166
$2.20 ฿71.6
-7.73%
Eggs
$2.95 ALL 241
$2.22 ฿72.4
32.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 ALL 859
$19.99 ฿651
-47.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.78 ALL 636
$3.66 ฿119
112.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.40 ALL 1,094
$13.25 ฿432
1.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.15 ALL 94.3
$3.23 ฿105
-64.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.36 ALL 193
$1.70 ฿55.3
38.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.30 ALL 106
$2.39 ฿78.0
-45.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 ALL 97.7
$2.08 ฿67.7
-42.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 ALL 89.2
$1.59 ฿51.8
-31.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 ALL 84.7
$1.48 ฿48.31
-29.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ALL 93.7
$1.03 ฿33.54
11.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ALL 52.2
$0.52 ฿16.83
23.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.18 ALL 341
$4.25 ฿138
-1.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.92 ALL 892
$18.79 ฿612
-41.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 ALL 136
$1.76 ฿57.2
-5.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 ALL 148
$2.76 ฿89.8
-34.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Durres
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ALL 37.36
$1.36 ฿44.32
-66.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.43 ALL 1,506
$11.36 ฿370
62.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.62 ALL 296
$3.14 ฿102
15.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 ALL 167
$1.04 ฿33.74
97.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.71 ALL 1,447
$13.77 ฿448
28.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 ALL 180
$1.34 ฿43.79
64.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.2K ALL 1.2M
$27.7K ฿901.4K
-44.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K ALL 2.1M
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-24.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.9 ALL 5,548
$124 ฿4,025
-45.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.82 ALL 1,456
$13.52 ฿440
31.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.72 ALL 1,284
$18.69 ฿609
-15.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.03 ALL 3,025
$61.8 ฿2,013
-40.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$59.5 ALL 4,857
$17.25 ฿562
244.64%
Cinema Ticket
$7.16 ALL 585
$9.14 ฿298
-21.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$179 ALL 14.6K
$703 ฿22.9K
-74.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,380 ALL 357.8K
$15.9K ฿517.0K
-72.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.91 ALL 3,097
$59.5 ฿1,937
-36.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.86 ALL 3,257
$35.07 ฿1,142
13.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.6 ALL 6,910
$115 ฿3,754
-26.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$156 ALL 12.7K
$84.1 ฿2,737
85.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Durres
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ALL 34.9K
$619 ฿20.1K
-30.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$311 ALL 25.4K
$433 ฿14.1K
-28.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$614 ALL 50.2K
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-70.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 ALL 34.6K
$1,511 ฿49.2K
-71.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,812 ALL 148.1K
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-50.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,156 ALL 94.4K
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-55.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Durres
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$834 ALL 68.1K
$507 ฿16.5K
64.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
5.33
-

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

Last update for Durres: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Durres and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Durres vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $293 per month, with Durres 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
Durres vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Durres or Phuket?
Durres wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durres the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Durres or Phuket?
Durres pays 64% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Durres vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Durres versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Durres compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Durres versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Durres vs Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 62% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Durres or Phuket?
At $1,046 in Durres versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Durres but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Durres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Durres or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Durres delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,046 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durres hard to pass up.
How safe is Durres compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Durres 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Durres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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