Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,807 per month in Nicosia vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,890 per month in Nicosia vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,973 per month in Nicosia vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 45% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nicosia sits 35% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.25

$4.55 ฿153

283.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €61.5

$46.18 ฿1,554

52.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 €7.07

$8.84 ฿298

-8.48%

Cappuccino

$3.80 €3.33

$3.06 ฿103

24.18%

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

$1.51 €1.32

$0.73 ฿24.42

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.76

$0.40 ฿13.40

115.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 €4.09

$2.43 ฿81.8

92.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.93

$3.78 ฿127

48.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.26 ฿76.0

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.81 ฿60.9

14.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 €2.53

$2.25 ฿75.8

28.44%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.92

$2.25 ฿75.6

99.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 €11.82

$19.51 ฿656

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 €8.22

$3.65 ฿123

157.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 €10.93

$13.05 ฿439

-4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$3.23 ฿109

-9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.78

$1.62 ฿54.4

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.38 ฿80.2

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 €2.80

$2.03 ฿68.2

57.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.53 ฿51.6

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 €1.46

$1.50 ฿50.5

10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.98 ฿32.93

-18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.92

$0.52 ฿17.40

101.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 €5.09

$4.44 ฿149

30.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 €6.85

$18.32 ฿616

-57.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$1.86 ฿62.7

9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.69

$2.68 ฿90.2

14.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.41 ฿47.49

95.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €50.5

$11.70 ฿394

392.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 €4.64

$3.11 ฿105

70.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.04 ฿35.08

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.0 €46.37

$14.11 ฿475

275.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.44

$1.31 ฿44.13

25.19%

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

$30.3K €26.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

8.97%

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

$32.2K €28.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-3.00%

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

$217 €190

$122 ฿4,120

76.90%

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

$21.91 €19.17

$13.59 ฿457

61.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.92 €30.55

$18.70 ฿629

86.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 €66.2

$60.5 ฿2,035

25.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.13 €26.36

$16.98 ฿572

77.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 €10.23

$9.07 ฿305

28.89%

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

$489 €428

$706 ฿23.8K

-30.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,438 €7,382

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-46.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 €85.1

$58.6 ฿1,970

66.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 €55.4

$35.36 ฿1,190

79.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €82.0

$115 ฿3,885

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$83.7 ฿2,818

48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 €688

$626 ฿21.1K

25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 €556

$445 ฿15.0K

42.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 €1,361

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-23.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 €1,121

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-14.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,107 €2,718

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-10.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,308 €2,019

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-10.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,855 €1,623

$500 ฿16.8K

271.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.33

-9.94%

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

Last update for Nicosia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nicosia versus $626 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 271% higher in Nicosia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Nicosia versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $289 – making Phuket 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

Nicosia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,807 in Nicosia, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 45% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,710 per month in Nicosia and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $489 per month in Nicosia and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Nicosia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Nicosia at $1,807. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nicosia 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $1,807 in Nicosia. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nicosia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.