Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Iasi vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Iasi vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Iasi vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Iasi costs about 2% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.6

$4.66 ฿154

139.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$32.22 ฿1,065

37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.52

$8.68 ฿287

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$2.90 ฿95.8

2.41%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$0.84 ฿27.89

163.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$0.49 ฿16.16

289.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$2.48 ฿82.0

36.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.65

$3.73 ฿123

4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.89 ฿62.3

-11.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$1.41 ฿46.54

-2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.62 ฿53.6

26.54%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.94

$2.24 ฿74.1

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.88

$19.84 ฿656

-57.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.08

$3.48 ฿115

90.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.22

$11.37 ฿376

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$2.90 ฿95.8

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.72 ฿57.0

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$2.27 ฿75.1

-21.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$2.13 ฿70.4

6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.47 ฿48.72

-40.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.42 ฿46.92

-36.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.10 ฿36.25

10.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.60 ฿19.76

68.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.90

$4.31 ฿142

58.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.47

$18.60 ฿615

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.80 ฿59.5

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$2.97 ฿98.0

-25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$2.25 ฿74.2

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$23.49 ฿776

21.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$3.10 ฿102

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$1.08 ฿35.56

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.44

$3.87 ฿128

125.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$1.43 ฿47.16

28.67%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

7.80%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

6.04%

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

$191 RON 865

$105 ฿3,462

82.26%

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

$7.82 RON 35.41

$11.39 ฿376

-31.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.07

$17.54 ฿580

-48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$54.3 ฿1,795

-13.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$11.44 ฿378

44.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.77

$7.78 ฿257

12.85%

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

$414 RON 1,874

$576 ฿19.0K

-28.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.8K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$63.6 ฿2,103

16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$29.10 ฿961

38.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$96.2 ฿3,179

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$90.0 ฿2,974

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,525

$733 ฿24.2K

-23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,031

$501 ฿16.5K

-10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,222

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,135

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-44.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-15.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,041

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-23.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,450

$508 ฿16.8K

137.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

5.57

28.90%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Iasi 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 137% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Iasi vs $275 in Phuket – so Iasi 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

Iasi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Iasi, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Iasi 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in Iasi and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Iasi at $1,287. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,287 in Iasi. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.