Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovo and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlovo: $785 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Karlovo
Learn more

Karlovo Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Karlovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$785

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karlovo and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karlovo and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $785 per month in Karlovo vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

Karlovo $785
Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $1,263 per month in Karlovo vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

Karlovo $1,263
Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $1,742 per month in Karlovo vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

Karlovo $1,742
Phuket $2,845

Karlovo is about 35% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karlovo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Karlovo 42% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 BGN 12.34

$4.40 ฿147

61.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 BGN 58.4

$32.26 ฿1,078

4.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 15.07

$8.76 ฿293

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$1.45 BGN 2.53

$2.83 ฿94.5

-48.76%

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

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$0.90 ฿30.14

14.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.28

$0.47 ฿15.56

57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 BGN 3.41

$2.55 ฿85.2

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BGN 3.04

$3.83 ฿128

-54.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 BGN 2.04

$1.73 ฿57.7

-32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 BGN 1.47

$1.47 ฿49.11

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.25

$1.51 ฿50.6

23.84%

Eggs

$3.27 BGN 5.69

$2.17 ฿72.7

50.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 BGN 17.26

$19.70 ฿658

-49.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 BGN 14.45

$3.34 ฿112

148.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 BGN 10.20

$11.16 ฿373

-47.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 BGN 2.19

$2.85 ฿95.1

-55.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.41

$1.70 ฿56.9

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.70

$2.19 ฿73.3

-2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BGN 3.68

$2.05 ฿68.4

2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 BGN 0.84

$1.45 ฿48.57

-66.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.56

$1.38 ฿46.16

-34.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BGN 1.71

$1.07 ฿35.69

-7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.34

$0.51 ฿16.91

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 BGN 5.64

$4.26 ฿142

-23.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 BGN 11.64

$18.58 ฿621

-63.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BGN 1.72

$1.78 ฿59.7

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.29

$2.85 ฿95.2

-33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 BGN 1.93

$2.26 ฿75.6

-50.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.67 BGN 41.18

$22.10 ฿738

7.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 BGN 2.03

$3.01 ฿101

-61.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.23

$1.06 ฿35.34

-33.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.78 BGN 20.50

$3.86 ฿129

205.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 BGN 2.43

$1.45 ฿48.45

-3.45%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.2K

$26.3K ฿879.9K

13.91%

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

$22.3K BGN 38.8K

$26.9K ฿900.4K

-17.17%

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

$104 BGN 180

$96.4 ฿3,221

7.57%

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

$14.45 BGN 25.13

$11.04 ฿369

30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.91 BGN 20.72

$17.14 ฿573

-30.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.57 BGN 51.5

$52.2 ฿1,744

-43.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 BGN 30.18

$11.16 ฿373

55.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 BGN 9.69

$7.81 ฿261

-28.68%

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

$226 BGN 393

$556 ฿18.6K

-59.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,755 BGN 10.0K

$11.6K ฿387.0K

-50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.50 BGN 49.60

$64.2 ฿2,146

-55.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.54 BGN 20.08

$28.69 ฿959

-59.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 BGN 99.0

$95.4 ฿3,187

-40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.99 BGN 80.0

$88.0 ฿2,940

-47.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 BGN 583

$737 ฿24.6K

-54.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 BGN 332

$462 ฿15.5K

-58.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 BGN 929

$2,095 ฿70.0K

-74.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 BGN 701

$1,201 ฿40.1K

-66.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 BGN 2,297

$3,488 ฿116.6K

-62.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 BGN 1,885

$2,523 ฿84.3K

-57.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$448 BGN 779

$501 ฿16.7K

-10.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

5.57

-41.65%

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

Last update for Karlovo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Karlovo

$205 26.2%

Phuket

$269 22.2% 30.9% $63

Accommodation & Living

Karlovo

$191 24.3%

Phuket

$462 38.3% 142% $271

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karlovo

$130 16.6%

Phuket

$125 10.3% 4.2% $5.5

Eating Out

Karlovo

$121 15.4%

Phuket

$121 10% 0.6% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Karlovo

$64 8.2%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 93.2% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Karlovo

$41 5.2%

Phuket

$68 5.6% 66.5% $27

Getting Around

Karlovo

$33 4.2%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 20.2% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Karlovo versus $737 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 12% higher in Phuket, 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 $34.00 in Karlovo versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Karlovo vs $269 in Phuket – so Karlovo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Karlovo

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

4 h ahead of Karlovo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,919

79,308

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karlovo Phuket 8,070 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Karlovo
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Karlovo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,177 per month in Karlovo and $1,813 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Karlovo and $556 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 Karlovo, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Karlovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlovo – 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 Karlovo. 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.