ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ioannina versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Ioannina versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,661 in Ioannina versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Ioannina is roughly 10% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Ioannina is 1% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66âŽ15.08
$4.63āļŋ151
281.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.59âŽ29.54
$46.84āļŋ1,523
-26.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.05âŽ8.58
$8.84āļŋ287
13.69%
Cappuccino
$3.87âŽ3.31
$3.00āļŋ97.4
29.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25âŽ1.92
$0.74āļŋ24.11
204.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55âŽ0.47
$0.37āļŋ11.88
48.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.49âŽ3.84
$2.44āļŋ79.3
84.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65âŽ4.83
$3.61āļŋ117
56.51%
ð Groceries & Markets
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48âŽ1.27
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-34.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.19âŽ1.02
$1.84āļŋ59.8
-35.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48âŽ2.12
$2.24āļŋ73.0
10.71%
Eggs
$3.43âŽ2.93
$2.32āļŋ75.3
47.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.22âŽ8.73
$19.67āļŋ639
-48.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.15âŽ6.96
$3.65āļŋ119
123.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.01âŽ9.40
$13.10āļŋ426
-15.95%
Apples(1kg)
$1.97âŽ1.69
$3.39āļŋ110
-41.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87âŽ1.60
$1.64āļŋ53.4
14.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.24âŽ1.06
$2.41āļŋ78.5
-48.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32âŽ1.98
$2.03āļŋ66.0
14.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.25âŽ1.07
$1.56āļŋ50.6
-19.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06âŽ0.90
$1.50āļŋ48.66
-29.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03âŽ0.88
$1.02āļŋ33.30
0.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85âŽ0.73
$0.49āļŋ15.91
73.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22âŽ4.46
$4.45āļŋ145
17.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.09âŽ6.06
$18.88āļŋ614
-62.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95âŽ1.66
$1.78āļŋ57.7
9.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79âŽ2.38
$2.75āļŋ89.5
1.45%
ð Getting Around
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.52âŽ1.30
$1.40āļŋ45.54
8.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.54âŽ29.50
$11.48āļŋ373
200.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.71âŽ4.02
$3.12āļŋ101
50.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.00āļŋ32.48
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.13âŽ6.09
$14.09āļŋ458
-49.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.09âŽ1.79
$1.35āļŋ43.93
54.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7KâŽ21.1K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
-9.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6KâŽ22.7K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-19.33%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$216âŽ185
$125āļŋ4,063
72.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.66âŽ17.64
$13.57āļŋ441
52.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.59âŽ26.12
$18.52āļŋ602
65.17%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.09âŽ39.36
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-25.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.10âŽ39.37
$16.84āļŋ547
173.75%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14âŽ7.81
$9.19āļŋ299
-0.54%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$341âŽ291
$698āļŋ22.7K
-51.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,383âŽ7,159
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-46.24%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9âŽ59.7
$57.8āļŋ1,878
21.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.87âŽ31.48
$35.24āļŋ1,146
4.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.7âŽ66.4
$113āļŋ3,677
-31.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118âŽ101
$86.4āļŋ2,808
36.42%
ð Accommodation & Living
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$417âŽ356
$616āļŋ20.0K
-32.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$308âŽ263
$446āļŋ14.5K
-30.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$684âŽ584
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-66.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$549âŽ469
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-63.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,133âŽ2,675
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
-17.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,605âŽ2,224
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
-1.67%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Ioannina
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,124âŽ960
$524āļŋ17.0K
114.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.68
5.33
-12.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ioannina: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $417 in Ioannina and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Ioannina pays 115% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $35.00 in Ioannina vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $292 per month, with Ioannina 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
Ioannina vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ioannina and Phuket?
Ioannina and Phuket differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,349 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ioannina or Phuket?
Ioannina pays 115% 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 Ioannina and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $417 in Ioannina versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ioannina and Phuket?
Childcare runs $341 in Ioannina versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Ioannina pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,349 in Ioannina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ioannina. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ioannina and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ioannina or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ioannina 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: Ioannina or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 10% less than in Ioannina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.