😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,403 in Ierapetra versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,076 in Ierapetra versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Ierapetra versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Ierapetra is roughly 11% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ierapetra is 4% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.79€5.85
$4.56฿149
48.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55€40.11
$46.63฿1,519
-0.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.78€10.15
$8.47฿276
39.08%
Cappuccino
$4.02€3.47
$3.03฿98.6
32.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.18
$0.69฿22.45
100.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.49
$0.37฿11.92
54.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.68€4.03
$2.49฿81.0
87.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31€4.58
$3.66฿119
45.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82€1.57
$2.18฿71.0
-16.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49€1.28
$1.90฿62.0
-21.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.51€3.03
$2.20฿71.6
59.55%
Eggs
$4.82€4.15
$2.22฿72.4
117.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.60€15.16
$19.99฿651
-11.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23€7.96
$3.66฿119
152.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.50€13.35
$13.25฿432
16.98%
Apples(1kg)
$2.22€1.91
$3.23฿105
-31.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.21€1.90
$1.70฿55.3
30.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52€1.31
$2.39฿78.0
-36.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99€1.71
$2.08฿67.7
-4.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.35€1.16
$1.59฿51.8
-15.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06€0.91
$1.48฿48.31
-28.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.25€1.08
$1.03฿33.54
21.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19€1.03
$0.52฿16.83
128.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.91€5.09
$4.25฿138
39.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.14€7.87
$18.79฿612
-51.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72€1.48
$1.76฿57.2
-2.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65€2.28
$2.76฿89.8
-3.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.55€1.33
$1.36฿44.32
13.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.09€39.71
$11.36฿370
305.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.08€3.51
$3.14฿102
29.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.04฿33.74
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.86€11.94
$13.77฿448
0.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18€1.88
$1.34฿43.79
62.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K€30.1K
$27.7K฿901.4K
26.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K€20.3K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-30.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$170€146
$124฿4,025
37.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.71€11.81
$13.52฿440
1.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.99€30.14
$18.69฿609
87.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.69€41.09
$61.8฿2,013
-22.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30€22.66
$17.25฿562
52.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.28€7.99
$9.14฿298
1.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$457€393
$703฿22.9K
-35.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,046€6,071
$15.9K฿517.0K
-55.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.5€69.3
$59.5฿1,937
35.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.52€28.02
$35.07฿1,142
-7.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106€91.2
$115฿3,754
-8.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€122
$84.1฿2,737
67.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$491€423
$619฿20.1K
-20.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$391€337
$433฿14.1K
-9.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$762€657
$2,062฿67.2K
-63.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$626€539
$1,511฿49.2K
-58.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,031€2,612
$3,646฿118.7K
-16.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,480€2,137
$2,626฿85.5K
-5.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ierapetra
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.53
5.33
-15.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ierapetra: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Ierapetra and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Ierapetra vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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
Ierapetra vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ierapetra or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Ierapetra. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ierapetra vs Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,105 in Ierapetra and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ierapetra vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $491 in Ierapetra 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 Ierapetra compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,403 per month in Ierapetra versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Ierapetra vs Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 306% less than in Ierapetra. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Ierapetra or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,403 in Ierapetra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ierapetra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ierapetra or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Ierapetra compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Ierapetra 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ierapetra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.