😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,433 in Herceg Novi versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,138 in Herceg Novi versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,842 in Herceg Novi versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Herceg Novi is roughly 13% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Herceg Novi is 7% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.79€10.14
$4.70฿153
150.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.10€31.92
$45.37฿1,482
-18.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.30€8.86
$8.43฿275
22.18%
Cappuccino
$2.63€2.26
$2.93฿95.6
-10.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83€2.44
$0.69฿22.40
310.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93€1.66
$0.37฿11.99
421.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95€2.53
$2.41฿78.6
22.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95€2.54
$3.72฿122
-20.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41€1.21
$2.23฿72.9
-36.77%
White Bread(500g)
$0.91€0.79
$1.83฿59.8
-50.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.61€2.24
$2.17฿70.8
20.28%
Eggs
$3.23€2.78
$2.21฿72.3
46.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.90€7.66
$19.74฿645
-54.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.71€6.64
$3.63฿119
112.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.74€10.10
$13.53฿442
-13.23%
Apples(1kg)
$1.27€1.09
$3.28฿107
-61.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68€1.45
$1.61฿52.6
4.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64€1.41
$2.41฿78.6
-31.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.04€2.62
$2.08฿68.1
46.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.14€0.98
$1.53฿49.93
-25.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.41€1.21
$1.48฿48.36
-4.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.52€1.31
$0.99฿32.29
53.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76€0.66
$0.51฿16.67
49.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85€3.31
$4.41฿144
-12.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.57€3.93
$19.38฿633
-76.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25€1.08
$1.78฿58.1
-29.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72€1.48
$2.71฿88.6
-36.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.19€1.03
$1.37฿44.79
-13.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$58.2€50.1
$11.39฿372
410.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.38€2.04
$3.02฿98.6
-21.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70€0.60
$0.99฿32.48
-29.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.51€15.06
$14.10฿461
24.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77€1.53
$1.36฿44.51
30.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K€28.3K
$28.2K฿921.1K
16.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K€19.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-32.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$138€119
$122฿3,975
13.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.74€14.40
$13.57฿443
23.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.48€27.08
$18.31฿598
71.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.5€50.3
$60.2฿1,967
-2.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.53€9.92
$17.14฿560
-32.73%
Cinema Ticket
$7.94€6.83
$8.69฿284
-8.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$515€443
$693฿22.6K
-25.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,897€6,793
$15.7K฿512.3K
-49.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6€73.7
$59.5฿1,944
43.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95€30.07
$34.77฿1,136
0.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.1€65.4
$115฿3,743
-33.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.5€83.9
$83.3฿2,720
17.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$760€653
$613฿20.0K
23.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$550€473
$437฿14.3K
25.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,385€1,192
$2,094฿68.4K
-33.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$993€854
$1,509฿49.3K
-34.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,821€3,287
$3,749฿122.5K
1.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603€2,239
$2,616฿85.4K
-0.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Herceg Novi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,082€931
$508฿16.6K
113.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.33
-6.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Herceg Novi: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Herceg Novi and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Herceg Novi pays 113% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $37.00 in Herceg Novi vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $293 per month, with Herceg Novi 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
Herceg Novi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Herceg Novi and Phuket?
Herceg Novi and Phuket differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,433 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Herceg Novi or Phuket?
Herceg Novi pays 113% 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 do apartment prices compare in Herceg Novi and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Herceg Novi versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Herceg Novi pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $37.00 in Herceg Novi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,433 in Herceg Novi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Herceg Novi. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Herceg Novi and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Herceg Novi or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Herceg Novi 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.
Where should expats move: Herceg Novi or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Herceg Novi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Herceg Novi vs other spots: cost of living compared