Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Nis vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Nis vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Nis vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Nis is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nis and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nis 25% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 RSD 772

$4.43 ฿145

73.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.87 RSD 3,395

$35.07 ฿1,151

-3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 RSD 1,064

$8.96 ฿294

18.53%

Cappuccino

$2.09 RSD 210

$3.00 ฿98.4

-30.33%

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

$2.34 RSD 235

$0.77 ฿25.33

203.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RSD 171

$0.47 ฿15.44

263.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 RSD 365

$2.40 ฿78.6

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 RSD 441

$3.75 ฿123

17.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 RSD 118

$1.82 ฿59.8

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.1

$1.42 ฿46.65

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RSD 178

$1.55 ฿50.8

14.19%

Eggs

$2.38 RSD 239

$2.13 ฿69.9

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 RSD 790

$19.76 ฿648

-60.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 RSD 618

$3.48 ฿114

77.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 RSD 1,078

$11.09 ฿364

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 RSD 106

$2.91 ฿95.5

-63.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RSD 172

$1.66 ฿54.6

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RSD 150

$2.27 ฿74.5

-34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 RSD 214

$2.10 ฿68.8

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RSD 80.7

$1.47 ฿48.24

-44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RSD 75.8

$1.41 ฿46.29

-46.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 RSD 65.3

$1.09 ฿35.78

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 RSD 62.0

$0.54 ฿17.58

14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 RSD 444

$4.48 ฿147

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 RSD 581

$18.72 ฿614

-69.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.3

$1.84 ฿60.4

-61.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RSD 128

$2.95 ฿96.7

-56.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 RSD 40.26

$2.26 ฿74.1

-82.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 RSD 186

$3.04 ฿99.9

-38.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RSD 61.4

$1.09 ฿35.82

-44.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.48 RSD 850

$3.82 ฿125

121.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 183

$1.49 ฿48.79

22.15%

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

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

13.36%

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

$25.1K RSD 2.5M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

-8.79%

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

$160 RSD 16.0K

$102 ฿3,340

57.15%

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

$20.28 RSD 2,032

$11.28 ฿370

79.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.61 RSD 2,366

$17.75 ฿582

33.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.87 RSD 3,094

$54.2 ฿1,777

-43.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.27 RSD 1,631

$10.96 ฿360

48.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 RSD 503

$7.85 ฿258

-36.05%

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

$251 RSD 25.2K

$577 ฿18.9K

-56.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,091 RSD 510.2K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-56.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 RSD 9,020

$65.4 ฿2,144

37.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 RSD 3,921

$28.89 ฿948

35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 RSD 10.2K

$99.1 ฿3,250

2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RSD 11.3K

$90.3 ฿2,961

24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 RSD 39.5K

$756 ฿24.8K

-47.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 RSD 28.5K

$487 ฿16.0K

-41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 RSD 61.8K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 RSD 41.8K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-65.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,570 RSD 257.5K

$3,591 ฿117.8K

-28.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 RSD 191.4K

$2,610 ฿85.6K

-26.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$889 RSD 89.1K

$502 ฿16.5K

77.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

5.57

-11.31%

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

Last update for Nis: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Nis versus $756 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 77% higher in Nis, 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 $34.00 in Nis versus $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $272 – making Nis 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

Nis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 22% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Nis and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Nis and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $251 per month in Nis and $577 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nis costs $1,031 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nis. 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.