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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Mamaia vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Mamaia vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,096 per month in Mamaia vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Mamaia is about 20% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mamaia and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 RON 44.15

$4.56 ฿149

114.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.49 RON 210

$46.63 ฿1,519

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.01

$8.47 ฿276

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$2.66 RON 12.03

$3.03 ฿98.6

-12.21%

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

$1.93 RON 8.73

$0.69 ฿22.45

179.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$0.37 ฿11.92

362.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 10.28

$2.49 ฿81.0

-8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.59

$3.66 ฿119

-24.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.95

$2.18 ฿71.0

-29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.68

$1.90 ฿62.0

-33.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.73

$2.20 ฿71.6

-22.27%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.53

$2.22 ฿72.4

44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 RON 37.77

$19.99 ฿651

-58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.26

$3.66 ฿119

82.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 RON 44.83

$13.25 ฿432

-25.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.20

$3.23 ฿105

-64.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.70 ฿55.3

-7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$2.39 ฿78.0

-35.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$2.08 ฿67.7

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.92

$1.59 ฿51.8

-45.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$1.48 ฿48.31

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$1.03 ฿33.54

-9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.52 ฿16.83

63.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 RON 27.31

$4.25 ฿138

42.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 RON 28.08

$18.79 ฿612

-66.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.83

$1.76 ฿57.2

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$2.76 ฿89.8

-40.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.07

$1.36 ฿44.32

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.56 RON 88.5

$11.36 ฿370

72.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$3.14 ฿102

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.39

$1.04 ฿33.74

-27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 RON 30.63

$13.77 ฿448

-50.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.08

$1.34 ฿43.79

17.16%

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

$28.4K RON 128.5K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

2.60%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-18.64%

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

$146 RON 662

$124 ฿4,025

18.50%

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

$8.19 RON 37.05

$13.52 ฿440

-39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.91 RON 40.29

$18.69 ฿609

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.81 RON 189

$61.8 ฿2,013

-32.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 RON 86.0

$17.25 ฿562

10.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 RON 31.52

$9.14 ฿298

-23.74%

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

$422 RON 1,909

$703 ฿22.9K

-39.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,856 RON 31.0K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-56.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 RON 310

$59.5 ฿1,937

15.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 RON 183

$35.07 ฿1,142

15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 RON 338

$115 ฿3,754

-35.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 431

$84.1 ฿2,737

13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,770

$619 ฿20.1K

-36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,313

$433 ฿14.1K

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 RON 2,637

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-71.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 RON 1,986

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-70.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 RON 8,466

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-48.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 RON 6,851

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-42.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Mamaia versus $619 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 $46.00 in Mamaia versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $293 – 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: $1,015 in Mamaia, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 24% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Mamaia and $1,892 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 72% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $422 per month in Mamaia and $703 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 $1,015, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,015 in Mamaia to $1,261 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.