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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Mamaia vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Mamaia vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,124 per month in Mamaia vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Mamaia is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mamaia and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 23% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 RON 45.11

$4.41 ฿147

120.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.54 RON 216

$32.26 ฿1,075

44.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 RON 35.97

$8.93 ฿298

-13.21%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.87

$2.90 ฿96.5

-11.72%

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

$1.95 RON 9.04

$0.88 ฿29.33

121.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.96

$0.48 ฿16.03

256.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.93

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 12.73

$3.72 ฿124

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 7.08

$1.87 ฿62.2

-18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.61

$1.47 ฿48.86

-17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.48

$1.55 ฿51.7

3.87%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.58

$2.10 ฿70.0

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.66

$19.59 ฿653

-57.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 RON 31.25

$3.42 ฿114

96.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.01 RON 46.46

$11.38 ฿379

-12.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.31

$2.98 ฿99.4

-61.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 7.04

$1.68 ฿56.1

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.54

$2.21 ฿73.6

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 RON 9.87

$2.16 ฿72.0

-1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.82

$1.52 ฿50.8

-46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.14

$1.34 ฿44.59

-33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.10

$1.13 ฿37.60

-22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.92

$0.55 ฿18.21

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 RON 26.58

$4.26 ฿142

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 RON 28.62

$19.09 ฿636

-67.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.75

$1.78 ฿59.3

-42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.52

$2.78 ฿92.7

-41.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 3.06

$2.23 ฿74.3

-70.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 RON 92.2

$22.74 ฿758

-12.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 RON 3.60

$3.03 ฿101

-74.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 RON 3.53

$1.02 ฿34.09

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 RON 32.90

$3.89 ฿130

82.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.49

$1.49 ฿49.68

8.05%

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

$28.0K RON 130.0K

$26.6K ฿885.7K

5.36%

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

$26.8K RON 124.4K

$27.0K ฿900.6K

-0.85%

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

$149 RON 692

$102 ฿3,414

45.49%

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

$8.13 RON 37.72

$11.33 ฿377

-28.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.84 RON 41.03

$17.40 ฿580

-49.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 RON 191

$52.1 ฿1,735

-20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.06 RON 88.5

$11.07 ฿369

72.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 RON 32.33

$7.69 ฿256

-9.49%

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

$437 RON 2,027

$561 ฿18.7K

-22.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,821 RON 31.7K

$11.5K ฿383.4K

-40.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 RON 313

$63.0 ฿2,100

6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.55 RON 184

$29.52 ฿984

33.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 RON 342

$98.0 ฿3,266

-24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 RON 430

$88.5 ฿2,949

4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,815

$738 ฿24.6K

-47.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,357

$482 ฿16.1K

-39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 RON 2,732

$2,107 ฿70.2K

-72.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 2,064

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-63.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,866 RON 8,664

$3,617 ฿120.5K

-48.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,472 RON 6,834

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-43.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.57

16.70%

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

Last update for Mamaia: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Mamaia versus $738 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 $47.00 in Mamaia versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Mamaia vs $274 in Phuket – so Mamaia 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

Mamaia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,050 in Mamaia, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 17% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Mamaia and $1,847 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 15% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Mamaia and $561 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 $1,050, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,050 in Mamaia to $1,232 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.