Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $902 per month in Elbasan vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,452 per month in Elbasan vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,002 per month in Elbasan vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Elbasan is about 29% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Elbasan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 35% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 ALL 805

$4.66 ฿154

118.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.55 ALL 2,966

$32.22 ฿1,065

16.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 ALL 545

$8.68 ฿287

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 142

$2.90 ฿95.8

-38.28%

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

$1.35 ALL 107

$0.84 ฿27.89

60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ALL 51.9

$0.49 ฿16.16

34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ALL 174

$2.48 ฿82.0

-11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ALL 228

$3.73 ฿123

-22.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 165

$1.89 ฿62.3

10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ALL 75.9

$1.41 ฿46.54

-31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ALL 126

$1.62 ฿53.6

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 219

$2.24 ฿74.1

24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ALL 814

$19.84 ฿656

-48.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ALL 477

$3.48 ฿115

73.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 ALL 941

$11.37 ฿376

4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 96.8

$2.90 ฿95.8

-57.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ALL 180

$1.72 ฿57.0

31.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ALL 107

$2.27 ฿75.1

-40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.8

$2.13 ฿70.4

-47.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.1

$1.47 ฿48.72

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ALL 87.2

$1.42 ฿46.92

-22.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ALL 63.5

$1.10 ฿36.25

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$0.60 ฿19.76

11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ALL 351

$4.31 ฿142

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 ALL 640

$18.60 ฿615

-56.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ALL 82.1

$1.80 ฿59.5

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ALL 149

$2.97 ฿98.0

-36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.25

$2.25 ฿74.2

-76.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 ALL 1,594

$23.49 ฿776

-14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 ALL 304

$3.10 ฿102

24.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 ALL 118

$1.08 ฿35.56

38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.18 ALL 1,199

$3.87 ฿128

292.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 172

$1.43 ฿47.16

51.75%

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

$29.8K ALL 2.3M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

7.07%

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

$30.0K ALL 2.4M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

11.36%

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

$62.9 ALL 4,964

$105 ฿3,462

-40.03%

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

$16.02 ALL 1,265

$11.39 ฿376

40.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.07 ALL 954

$17.54 ฿580

-31.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 ALL 4,693

$54.3 ฿1,795

9.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.50 ALL 1,382

$11.44 ฿378

52.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ALL 346

$7.78 ฿257

-43.70%

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

$143 ALL 11.3K

$576 ฿19.0K

-75.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,916 ALL 151.3K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-83.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 ALL 5,968

$63.6 ฿2,103

18.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 ALL 3,592

$29.10 ฿961

56.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 ALL 7,756

$96.2 ฿3,179

2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ALL 7,930

$90.0 ฿2,974

11.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 ALL 24.6K

$733 ฿24.2K

-57.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$501 ฿16.5K

-58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ALL 35.4K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-78.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ALL 25.7K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-74.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,400 ALL 110.5K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-60.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.7K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-65.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$574 ALL 45.3K

$508 ฿16.8K

13.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.57

9.52%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Elbasan versus $733 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 13% higher in Elbasan, 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 $38.00 in Elbasan versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Elbasan vs $275 in Phuket – so Elbasan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Elbasan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,353 per month in Elbasan and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Elbasan and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Elbasan. 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.