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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,805 per month in Nicosia vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,912 per month in Nicosia vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,018 per month in Nicosia vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 43% 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

$17.68 €15.23

$4.70 ฿154

276.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.1

$45.37 ฿1,483

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 €7.08

$8.43 ฿276

-2.49%

Cappuccino

$3.88 €3.34

$2.93 ฿95.7

32.42%

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

$1.57 €1.35

$0.69 ฿22.42

127.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.37 ฿12.00

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 €3.93

$2.41 ฿78.7

89.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €4.97

$3.72 ฿122

55.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.23 ฿73.0

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.83 ฿59.9

13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.17 ฿70.9

27.65%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$2.21 ฿72.4

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.77

$19.74 ฿645

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 €7.78

$3.63 ฿119

148.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 €11.10

$13.53 ฿442

-4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$3.28 ฿107

-12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.61 ฿52.7

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.41 ฿78.7

-5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.08 ฿68.1

53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.53 ฿49.97

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.48 ฿48.41

17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.99 ฿32.32

-14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.51 ฿16.68

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.90

$4.41 ฿144

29.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.10

$19.38 ฿634

-57.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.78 ฿58.1

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.71 ฿88.7

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 €2.34

$1.37 ฿44.83

98.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 €50.3

$11.39 ฿372

412.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 €4.58

$3.02 ฿98.7

76.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.32

$0.99 ฿32.51

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 €45.25

$14.10 ฿461

272.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.36 ฿44.55

20.59%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

7.09%

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

$32.3K €27.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.82%

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

$217 €186

$122 ฿3,978

77.90%

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

$22.21 €19.13

$13.57 ฿444

63.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.90 €30.91

$18.31 ฿599

96.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 €64.3

$60.2 ฿1,969

24.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.42 €26.20

$17.14 ฿560

77.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.80

$8.69 ฿284

30.96%

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

$481 €414

$693 ฿22.7K

-30.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,428 €7,258

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-46.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 €82.0

$59.5 ฿1,946

59.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 €53.6

$34.77 ฿1,137

78.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 €82.1

$115 ฿3,746

-16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$83.3 ฿2,723

49.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 €664

$613 ฿20.0K

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €549

$437 ฿14.3K

45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,308

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 €1,108

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-14.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,191 €2,748

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-14.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,414 €2,078

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-7.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,891 €1,629

$508 ฿16.6K

272.25%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Nicosia versus $613 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 272% 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 $69.0 in Nicosia versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $293 – 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: $1,805 in Nicosia, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 43% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,708 per month in Nicosia and $1,898 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 $481 per month in Nicosia and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,265, than in Nicosia at $1,805. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,805 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.