Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuressaare and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuressaare and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,416 per month in Kuressaare vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,129 per month in Kuressaare vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,842 per month in Kuressaare vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Kuressaare costs about 13% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kuressaare sits 6% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 €12.04

$4.55 ฿153

202.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 €59.7

$46.18 ฿1,554

47.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 €8.30

$8.84 ฿298

7.35%

Cappuccino

$3.81 €3.33

$3.06 ฿103

24.51%

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

$2.47 €2.17

$0.73 ฿24.42

238.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 €2.48

$0.40 ฿13.40

607.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.25 €4.59

$2.43 ฿81.8

116.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.15

$3.78 ฿127

55.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.10

$2.26 ฿76.0

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.81 ฿60.9

-15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.25 ฿75.8

4.89%

Eggs

$2.85 €2.49

$2.25 ฿75.6

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 €10.76

$19.51 ฿656

-36.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 €7.58

$3.65 ฿123

137.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 €9.71

$13.05 ฿439

-14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 €1.58

$3.23 ฿109

-44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.38 ฿80.2

0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.03 ฿68.2

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.53 ฿51.6

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.50 ฿50.5

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.75

$0.98 ฿32.93

104.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$0.52 ฿17.40

101.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 €5.74

$4.44 ฿149

47.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 €9.05

$18.32 ฿616

-43.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.63

$1.86 ฿62.7

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$2.68 ฿90.2

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.08

$1.41 ฿47.49

68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.76 €25.16

$11.70 ฿394

145.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €3.01

$3.11 ฿105

10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 €0.64

$1.04 ฿35.08

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.39 €17.84

$14.11 ฿475

44.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.31 ฿44.13

41.22%

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

$29.1K €25.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

4.65%

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

$30.4K €26.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-8.44%

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

$271 €237

$122 ฿4,120

121.17%

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

$11.51 €10.07

$13.59 ฿457

-15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.79 €32.19

$18.70 ฿629

96.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 €30.07

$60.5 ฿2,035

-43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.19

$9.07 ฿305

28.45%

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

$115 €101

$706 ฿23.8K

-83.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,169 €7,147

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-48.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €104

$58.6 ฿1,970

103.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.25 €35.22

$35.36 ฿1,190

13.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 €85.9

$115 ฿3,885

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €96.5

$83.7 ฿2,818

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 €454

$626 ฿21.1K

-17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 €300

$445 ฿15.0K

-22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 €613

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 €462

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-64.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,080 €3,570

$3,483 ฿117.2K

17.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,452 €2,145

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-4.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,317 €1,152

$500 ฿16.8K

163.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

5.33

-19.32%

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

Last update for Kuressaare: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Kuressaare versus $626 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 163% higher in Kuressaare, 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 $68.0 in Kuressaare versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Kuressaare vs $289 in Phuket – so Kuressaare 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

Kuressaare vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuressaare is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,124 per month in Kuressaare and $1,875 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,416 in Kuressaare and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 146% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kuressaare at $1,416. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuressaare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuressaare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.