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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,468 per month in Kuressaare vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,166 per month in Kuressaare vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,865 per month in Kuressaare vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kuressaare costs about 16% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kuressaare sits 10% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 €12.13

$4.70 ฿154

199.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.1

$45.37 ฿1,483

51.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 €8.14

$8.43 ฿276

12.10%

Cappuccino

$3.79 €3.27

$2.93 ฿95.7

29.35%

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

$2.47 €2.13

$0.69 ฿22.42

257.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$0.37 ฿12.00

643.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 €4.46

$2.41 ฿78.7

114.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 €5.06

$3.72 ฿122

58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.23 ฿73.0

-43.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.83 ฿59.9

-19.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.17 ฿70.9

10.14%

Eggs

$2.84 €2.45

$2.21 ฿72.4

28.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 €10.58

$19.74 ฿645

-37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.56

$3.63 ฿119

141.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 €9.76

$13.53 ฿442

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 €1.62

$3.28 ฿107

-42.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.61 ฿52.7

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.41 ฿78.7

-1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.08 ฿68.1

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 €0.86

$1.53 ฿49.97

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.48 ฿48.41

-22.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.99 ฿32.32

107.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$0.51 ฿16.68

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.64

$4.41 ฿144

48.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 €9.07

$19.38 ฿634

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.78 ฿58.1

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.71 ฿88.7

-19.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.37 ฿44.83

64.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.10 €25.06

$11.39 ฿372

155.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 €2.88

$3.02 ฿98.7

10.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.64

$0.99 ฿32.51

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.39 €17.56

$14.10 ฿461

44.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.36 ฿44.55

43.38%

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

$29.0K €25.0K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

2.86%

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

$30.8K €26.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-6.52%

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

$273 €235

$122 ฿3,978

124.05%

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

$11.49 €9.90

$13.57 ฿444

-15.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.47 €30.55

$18.31 ฿599

93.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.19 €29.44

$60.2 ฿1,969

-43.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.97

$8.69 ฿284

33.26%

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

$117 €101

$693 ฿22.7K

-83.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,078 €6,956

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €102

$59.5 ฿1,946

99.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 €33.98

$34.77 ฿1,137

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €86.6

$115 ฿3,746

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.6

$83.3 ฿2,723

30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 €457

$613 ฿20.0K

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 €303

$437 ฿14.3K

-19.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 €591

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-67.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 €446

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-65.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,236 €3,648

$3,749 ฿122.6K

12.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,582 €2,223

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-1.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,354 €1,166

$508 ฿16.6K

166.57%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $531 in Kuressaare versus $613 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 167% 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 $69.0 in Kuressaare versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Kuressaare vs $293 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 16%, 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 $2,201 per month in Kuressaare and $1,898 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 $1,468 in Kuressaare and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% 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 $1,265, than in Kuressaare at $1,468. 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.