Cost of Living Comparison Between Mamaia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mamaia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Mamaia vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Mamaia vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,073 per month in Mamaia vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Mamaia is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mamaia and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 22% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 RON 45.70

$4.48 ฿150

124.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 RON 206

$45.59 ฿1,521

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 RON 34.68

$8.76 ฿292

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.66

$2.97 ฿99.0

-13.80%

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

$1.91 RON 8.70

$0.69 ฿22.90

176.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$0.39 ฿13.04

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 RON 10.40

$2.53 ฿84.4

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.84

$3.75 ฿125

-24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.90

$2.15 ฿71.6

-29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.73

$1.82 ฿60.6

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.38

$2.18 ฿72.9

-25.69%

Eggs

$3.30 RON 15.02

$2.25 ฿75.0

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 RON 38.45

$20.00 ฿667

-57.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 RON 30.96

$3.63 ฿121

87.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 RON 45.29

$13.56 ฿452

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.41

$3.24 ฿108

-63.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.99

$1.64 ฿54.6

-6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.10

$2.33 ฿77.8

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 RON 10.01

$2.07 ฿69.1

6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$1.55 ฿51.6

-43.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$1.46 ฿48.54

-36.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$0.98 ฿32.86

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.48 ฿16.09

72.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 RON 27.17

$4.35 ฿145

37.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 RON 27.96

$18.57 ฿620

-66.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$1.86 ฿61.9

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.35

$2.65 ฿88.6

-38.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.42 ฿47.28

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.81 RON 90.1

$11.57 ฿386

71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$3.17 ฿106

-77.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$1.03 ฿34.41

-30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 RON 31.04

$13.89 ฿463

-50.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.99

$1.34 ฿44.84

14.93%

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

$28.4K RON 129.3K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

2.35%

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

$27.0K RON 122.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-19.05%

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

$145 RON 659

$123 ฿4,105

17.76%

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

$7.94 RON 36.11

$13.77 ฿459

-42.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.23 RON 41.97

$18.33 ฿611

-49.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.76 RON 190

$60.7 ฿2,025

-31.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.30 RON 87.7

$17.16 ฿573

12.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 RON 30.65

$8.87 ฿296

-24.01%

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

$432 RON 1,965

$688 ฿22.9K

-37.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,919 RON 31.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-56.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 RON 314

$59.3 ฿1,978

16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 RON 183

$34.69 ฿1,157

16.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 RON 342

$115 ฿3,843

-34.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 432

$83.8 ฿2,794

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,753

$621 ฿20.7K

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,302

$446 ฿14.9K

-35.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 RON 2,619

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,954

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-71.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,920 RON 8,729

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-44.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,473 RON 6,695

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-41.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.33

21.95%

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

Last update for Mamaia: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Mamaia versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Mamaia versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $291 – making Mamaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mamaia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,037 in Mamaia, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 22% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,555 per month in Mamaia and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 71% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mamaia and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mamaia, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Mamaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,037 in Mamaia to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mamaia. 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.