Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Orhei: $361 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Orhei
🇲🇩 Moldova
$361
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Orhei 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 Orhei and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $361 in Orhei versus $1,207 in Phuket.

  • Orhei $361
  • Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $588 in Orhei versus $2,037 in Phuket.

  • Orhei $588
  • Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $816 in Orhei versus $2,867 in Phuket.

  • Orhei $816
  • Phuket $2,867

Living in Orhei costs roughly 70% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Orhei 73% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.28 MDL 200
$4.58 ฿153
146.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.16 MDL 394
$32.48 ฿1,086
-31.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 MDL 126
$8.55 ฿286
-17.08%
Cappuccino
$1.38 MDL 24.58
$2.72 ฿91.0
-49.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MDL 13.87
$0.94 ฿31.25
-17.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MDL 8.34
$0.49 ฿16.39
-4.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.14 MDL 20.21
$2.59 ฿86.6
-55.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 MDL 24.66
$3.83 ฿128
-63.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 MDL 17.61
$1.74 ฿58.1
-43.10%
White Bread (500g)
$0.33 MDL 5.85
$1.43 ฿47.82
-76.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.53 ฿51.0
-
Eggs
$1.96 MDL 34.87
$2.17 ฿72.7
-9.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$19.15 ฿640
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$3.30 ฿110
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.14 ฿372
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.95 ฿98.5
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 MDL 34.18
$1.68 ฿56.1
14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.30 ฿76.8
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.13 ฿71.3
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 MDL 11.92
$1.53 ฿51.1
-56.21%
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.36 ฿45.55
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.12 ฿37.44
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 MDL 9.21
$0.55 ฿18.24
-5.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.26 ฿142
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.19 ฿608
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.74 ฿58.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.79 ฿93.3
-
🚌 Getting Around
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 MDL 2.84
$2.22 ฿74.1
-92.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.06 ฿737
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 MDL 19.70
$2.91 ฿97.3
-61.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.01 ฿33.79
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.83 ฿128
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 MDL 29.76
$1.49 ฿49.85
12.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$26.7K ฿891.6K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K MDL 363.9K
$26.7K ฿892.7K
-23.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.2 MDL 1,052
$99.4 ฿3,321
-40.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.67 MDL 118
$11.28 ฿377
-40.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.97 MDL 177
$17.36 ฿580
-42.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$52.3 ฿1,747
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.85 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.37 MDL 59.8
$7.57 ฿253
-55.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$558 ฿18.7K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.5K ฿383.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.84 MDL 601
$62.9 ฿2,102
-46.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.59 MDL 597
$28.58 ฿955
17.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MDL 1,904
$96.1 ฿3,213
11.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.84 MDL 601
$88.1 ฿2,943
-61.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$729 ฿24.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$460 ฿15.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$493 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Orhei: October 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Eating Out
Orhei
$142
Phuket
$121 14.3% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
$94
Phuket
$124 32.2% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Orhei
$76
Phuket
$128 68.7% $52
Groceries & Markets
Orhei
$41 *
Phuket
$268 555% $227
Sport & Entertainment
Orhei
$6.7 *
Phuket
$67 902% $61
Getting Around
Orhei
$1.8 *
Phuket
$39 2122% $37
Accommodation & Living
Orhei
- *
Phuket
$460

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $22.00 in Orhei vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $41.00 vs $268 per month, with Orhei cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇩 Orhei
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
08:06 8:06 AM
12:06 12:06 PM
4 h ahead of Orhei
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,918
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 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
  • Orhei Phuket 7,830 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Orhei
  • 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
Orhei vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Orhei?
Orhei is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and utilities. The 235% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $541 in Orhei and $1,811 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Orhei and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 555% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Orhei or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Orhei – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Orhei or in Phuket?
At $361 in Orhei versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Orhei or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Orhei is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Orhei or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Orhei and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 235% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Orhei vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?