Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mugla and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Mugla: $920 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mugla
🇹🇷 Turkey
$920
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mugla and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mugla and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $920 per month in Mugla vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Mugla $920
  • Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,424 per month in Mugla vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Mugla $1,424
  • Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $1,928 per month in Mugla vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Mugla $1,928
  • Phuket $2,867

Mugla is about 24% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Mugla and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mugla 32% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.51 ₺322
$4.58 ฿153
42.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.60 ₺1,812
$32.48 ฿1,086
12.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.46 ₺369
$8.55 ฿286
-12.75%
Cappuccino
$4.08 ₺202
$2.72 ฿91.0
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₺90.5
$0.94 ฿31.25
94.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₺25.44
$0.49 ฿16.39
4.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 ₺153
$2.59 ฿86.6
19.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 ₺183
$3.83 ฿128
-3.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 ₺50.7
$1.74 ฿58.1
-41.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ₺49.94
$1.43 ฿47.82
-29.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 ₺95.4
$1.53 ฿51.0
26.14%
Eggs
$2.51 ₺125
$2.17 ฿72.7
15.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 ₺448
$19.15 ฿640
-52.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.26 ₺211
$3.30 ฿110
29.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.51 ₺966
$11.14 ฿372
75.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.75 ₺86.9
$2.95 ฿98.5
-40.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 ₺91.2
$1.68 ฿56.1
9.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.97 ₺47.85
$2.30 ฿76.8
-57.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₺73.8
$2.13 ฿71.3
-30.05%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 ₺20.58
$1.53 ฿51.1
-72.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.33 ₺16.56
$1.36 ฿45.55
-75.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 ₺36.96
$1.12 ฿37.44
-33.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 ₺34.38
$0.55 ฿18.24
25.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 ₺114
$4.26 ฿142
-46.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.36 ₺464
$18.19 ฿608
-48.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 ₺104
$1.74 ฿58.2
20.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 ₺106
$2.79 ฿93.3
-23.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.26 ₺62.4
$2.22 ฿74.1
-43.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.06 ฿737
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.02 ₺50.5
$2.91 ฿97.3
-64.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₺38.38
$1.01 ฿33.79
-22.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.87 ₺390
$3.83 ฿128
105.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 ₺69.7
$1.49 ฿49.85
-5.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.3K ₺2.1M
$26.7K ฿891.6K
58.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K ₺2.0M
$26.7K ฿892.7K
48.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.5 ₺3,590
$99.4 ฿3,321
-27.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.74 ₺581
$11.28 ฿377
4.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.53 ₺769
$17.36 ฿580
-10.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$52.3 ฿1,747
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.85 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 ₺342
$7.57 ฿253
-8.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ₺34.6K
$558 ฿18.7K
25.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K ₺882.5K
$11.5K ฿383.9K
55.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.95 ₺2,275
$62.9 ฿2,102
-26.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.61 ₺1,614
$28.58 ฿955
14.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ₺4,477
$96.1 ฿3,213
-5.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.1 ₺3,864
$88.1 ฿2,943
-11.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ₺20.3K
$729 ฿24.4K
-43.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$307 ₺15.2K
$460 ฿15.4K
-33.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$796 ₺39.4K
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-62.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$514 ₺25.5K
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-57.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,394 ₺69.0K
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-59.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$824 ₺40.8K
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-66.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mugla
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,527 ₺75.6K
$493 ฿16.5K
209.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
38
5.57
582.23%

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

Last update for Mugla: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mugla
$307
Phuket
$460 50.1% $153
Groceries & Markets
Mugla
$223
Phuket
$268 20% $45
Eating Out
Mugla
$156
Phuket
$121 22% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Mugla
$111
Phuket
$124 11.6% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mugla
$100
Phuket
$128 28.3% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Mugla
$14 *
Phuket
$67 388% $54
Getting Around
Mugla
$9.9 *
Phuket
$39 292% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Mugla versus $729 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 210% higher in Mugla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Mugla versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Mugla vs $268 in Phuket – so Mugla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Mugla
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
14:47 2:47 PM
18:47 6:47 PM
4 h ahead of Mugla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
82,717
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mugla Phuket 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mugla
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mugla vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mugla or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 31% more than Mugla, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mugla and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Mugla and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mugla or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mugla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Mugla compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $920 in Mugla and $1,207 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 31%.
How do childcare costs compare in Mugla and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Mugla and $558 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mugla or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mugla, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Mugla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mugla or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mugla costs $920 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Mugla compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Mugla or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Mugla. 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.

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