Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $683 in Orhei versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,076 in Orhei versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,470 in Orhei versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Orhei costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Orhei 49% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.03 MDL 156
$4.56 ฿149
98.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.89 MDL 620
$46.63 ฿1,519
-23.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 MDL 132
$8.47 ฿276
-9.80%
Cappuccino
$1.81 MDL 31.32
$3.03 ฿98.6
-40.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MDL 16.94
$0.69 ฿22.45
42.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 MDL 11.01
$0.37 ฿11.92
72.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.80 MDL 31.04
$2.49 ฿81.0
-27.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 MDL 39.26
$3.66 ฿119
-37.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 MDL 21.13
$2.18 ฿71.0
-44.04%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 MDL 9.66
$1.90 ฿62.0
-70.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MDL 25.33
$2.20 ฿71.6
-33.18%
Eggs
$2.52 MDL 43.48
$2.22 ฿72.4
13.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.25 MDL 177
$19.99 ฿651
-48.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.57 MDL 96.2
$3.66 ฿119
52.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.66 MDL 150
$13.25 ฿432
-34.64%
Apples (1kg)
$0.91 MDL 15.76
$3.23 ฿105
-71.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 MDL 30.36
$1.70 ฿55.3
3.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 MDL 30.57
$2.39 ฿78.0
-25.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MDL 37.36
$2.08 ฿67.7
3.85%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 MDL 13.34
$1.59 ฿51.8
-51.57%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 MDL 10.08
$1.48 ฿48.31
-60.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 MDL 22.78
$1.03 ฿33.54
28.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 MDL 14.47
$0.52 ฿16.83
61.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17 MDL 54.7
$4.25 ฿138
-25.41%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.79 ฿612
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MDL 22.01
$1.76 ฿57.2
-27.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 MDL 34.17
$2.76 ฿89.8
-28.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 MDL 2.68
$1.36 ฿44.32
-88.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.36 ฿370
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MDL 36.23
$3.14 ฿102
-33.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 MDL 4.69
$1.04 ฿33.74
-74.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.25 MDL 90.7
$13.77 ฿448
-61.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 MDL 24.51
$1.34 ฿43.79
5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6K MDL 545.4K
$27.7K ฿901.4K
14.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K MDL 533.6K
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-8.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 MDL 2,955
$124 ฿4,025
38.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.62 MDL 132
$13.52 ฿440
-43.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.96 MDL 189
$18.69 ฿609
-41.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$61.8 ฿2,013
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25 ฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.49 MDL 129
$9.14 ฿298
-18.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$386 MDL 6,666
$703 ฿22.9K
-45.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,640 MDL 131.9K
$15.9K ฿517.0K
-51.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.2 MDL 1,127
$59.5 ฿1,937
9.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.4 MDL 922
$35.07 ฿1,142
52.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 MDL 1,967
$115 ฿3,754
-1.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 MDL 2,139
$84.1 ฿2,737
47.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$619 ฿20.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$433 ฿14.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,511 ฿49.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.24
5.33
73.36%

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

Last update for Orhei: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Orhei vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $293 per month, with Orhei cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,024 in Orhei and $1,892 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Orhei vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $683 per month in Orhei versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Orhei or Phuket?
At $683 in Orhei versus $1,261 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 85% 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