😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,283 in Kretinga versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,046 in Kretinga versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Kretinga versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Kretinga is roughly 2% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Kretinga5% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.40€9.88
$4.56฿150
150.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7€61.3
$46.63฿1,535
51.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.14€6.19
$8.47฿279
-15.70%
Cappuccino
$3.04€2.64
$3.03฿99.7
0.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12€1.84
$0.69฿22.69
207.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02€1.75
$0.37฿12.04
445.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.24€4.54
$2.49฿81.9
110.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.27€4.57
$3.66฿120
43.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.39€1.20
$2.18฿71.8
-36.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.56€1.36
$1.90฿62.6
-17.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07€1.79
$2.20฿72.4
-5.91%
Eggs
$2.75€2.38
$2.22฿73.2
23.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.47€9.08
$19.99฿658
-47.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.21€4.52
$3.66฿121
42.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.76€8.46
$13.25฿436
-26.34%
Apples(1kg)
$1.37€1.18
$3.23฿106
-57.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65€1.43
$1.70฿55.9
-2.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79€1.55
$2.39฿78.8
-25.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.17€2.75
$2.08฿68.4
52.40%
Potato(1kg)
$0.75€0.65
$1.59฿52.4
-52.83%
Onion(1kg)
$0.93€0.81
$1.48฿48.83
-37.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.60€1.38
$1.03฿33.90
55.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82€0.71
$0.52฿17.01
57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.41€4.69
$4.25฿140
27.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.69€7.53
$18.79฿618
-53.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66€1.44
$1.76฿57.8
-5.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78€1.55
$2.76฿90.8
-35.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17€1.02
$1.36฿44.79
-13.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.19€29.63
$11.36฿374
200.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13€2.71
$3.14฿103
-0.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.12€0.97
$1.04฿34.10
7.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.62€11.81
$13.77฿453
-1.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.57€1.36
$1.34฿44.26
17.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K€29.5K
$27.7K฿911.1K
23.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1K€25.2K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-14.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$212€184
$124฿4,069
71.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.17€12.28
$13.52฿445
4.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.90€12.91
$18.69฿615
-20.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.02€36.42
$61.8฿2,035
-32.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.71€19.69
$17.25฿568
31.65%
Cinema Ticket
$9.37€8.12
$9.14฿301
2.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$456€395
$703฿23.1K
-35.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,369€8,120
$15.9K฿522.5K
-40.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.7€75.2
$59.5฿1,958
45.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.47€35.94
$35.07฿1,154
18.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.8€73.5
$115฿3,795
-26.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133€116
$84.1฿2,767
58.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$543€470
$619฿20.4K
-12.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357€310
$433฿14.2K
-17.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$844€732
$2,062฿67.9K
-59.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$652€565
$1,511฿49.7K
-56.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,410€2,955
$3,646฿120.0K
-6.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,828€1,584
$2,626฿86.4K
-30.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kretinga
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,156€1,002
$507฿16.7K
127.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.13
5.33
-22.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kretinga: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $543 in Kretinga and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kretinga pays 128% 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: $71.0 in Kretinga vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $293, with Kretinga 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
Kretinga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Kretinga?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kretinga or Phuket?
Kretinga pays 128% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Kretinga and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $543 in Kretinga versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 201% less than in Kretinga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $456 in Kretinga versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Kretinga or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,283 in Kretinga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kretinga. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kretinga or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kretinga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kretinga or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Kretinga 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kretinga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.