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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,045 per month in Mamaia vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Mamaia vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Mamaia vs $3,279 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 22% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 RON 42.77

$4.63 ฿151

111.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 RON 203

$46.84 ฿1,532

-0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 RON 35.07

$8.84 ฿289

-9.05%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.17

$3.00 ฿98.0

-14.67%

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

$1.91 RON 8.31

$0.74 ฿24.25

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$0.37 ฿11.95

367.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 RON 9.97

$2.44 ฿79.8

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.11

$3.61 ฿118

-22.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.64

$2.26 ฿73.9

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.30

$1.84 ฿60.1

-33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.29

$2.24 ฿73.4

-25.45%

Eggs

$3.33 RON 14.51

$2.32 ฿75.7

43.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 RON 37.48

$19.67 ฿643

-56.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 RON 28.64

$3.65 ฿119

80.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 RON 42.53

$13.10 ฿428

-25.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.12

$3.39 ฿111

-65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.69

$1.64 ฿53.7

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.77

$2.41 ฿79.0

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.20

$2.03 ฿66.4

3.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$1.56 ฿50.9

-48.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 3.92

$1.50 ฿48.94

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.84

$1.02 ฿33.50

-13.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.64

$0.49 ฿16.00

69.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 RON 25.81

$4.45 ฿145

33.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 RON 27.09

$18.88 ฿617

-67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.46

$1.78 ฿58.1

-42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.37

$2.75 ฿90.1

-38.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$1.40 ฿45.81

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.66 RON 85.7

$11.48 ฿376

71.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.30

$3.12 ฿102

-75.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.11

$1.00 ฿32.67

-29.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 29.43

$14.09 ฿461

-52.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.35 ฿44.19

20.00%

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

$27.9K RON 121.5K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

2.53%

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

$27.1K RON 118.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-17.56%

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

$144 RON 629

$125 ฿4,087

15.51%

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

$7.88 RON 34.37

$13.57 ฿444

-41.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.93 RON 38.94

$18.52 ฿606

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 RON 180

$61.5 ฿2,010

-32.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 RON 83.2

$16.84 ฿551

13.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 RON 30.03

$9.19 ฿300

-25.03%

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

$427 RON 1,862

$698 ฿22.8K

-38.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 RON 29.7K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-56.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 295

$57.8 ฿1,889

17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 RON 173

$35.24 ฿1,152

12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 329

$113 ฿3,699

-33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 RON 411

$86.4 ฿2,825

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,668

$616 ฿20.1K

-37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,252

$446 ฿14.6K

-35.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 RON 2,607

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-70.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,943

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 RON 8,329

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-49.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,486 RON 6,479

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-43.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Mamaia versus $616 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $292 – 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: $1,045 in Mamaia, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 18% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,568 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 71% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mamaia and $698 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 $1,045, 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 $1,045 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.