Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and PhuketCost 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: Orhei49% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.03MDL 156
$4.56฿149
98.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.89MDL 620
$46.63฿1,519
-23.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.64MDL 132
$8.47฿276
-9.80%
Cappuccino
$1.81MDL 31.32
$3.03฿98.6
-40.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98MDL 16.94
$0.69฿22.45
42.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64MDL 11.01
$0.37฿11.92
72.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.80MDL 31.04
$2.49฿81.0
-27.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27MDL 39.26
$3.66฿119
-37.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22MDL 21.13
$2.18฿71.0
-44.04%
White Bread(500g)
$0.56MDL 9.66
$1.90฿62.0
-70.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.47MDL 25.33
$2.20฿71.6
-33.18%
Eggs
$2.52MDL 43.48
$2.22฿72.4
13.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.25MDL 177
$19.99฿651
-48.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.57MDL 96.2
$3.66฿119
52.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.66MDL 150
$13.25฿432
-34.64%
Apples(1kg)
$0.91MDL 15.76
$3.23฿105
-71.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76MDL 30.36
$1.70฿55.3
3.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.77MDL 30.57
$2.39฿78.0
-25.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16MDL 37.36
$2.08฿67.7
3.85%
Potato(1kg)
$0.77MDL 13.34
$1.59฿51.8
-51.57%
Onion(1kg)
$0.58MDL 10.08
$1.48฿48.31
-60.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32MDL 22.78
$1.03฿33.54
28.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84MDL 14.47
$0.52฿16.83
61.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17MDL 54.7
$4.25฿138
-25.41%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.79฿612
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27MDL 22.01
$1.76฿57.2
-27.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98MDL 34.17
$2.76฿89.8
-28.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16MDL 2.68
$1.36฿44.32
-88.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.10MDL 36.23
$3.14฿102
-33.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.27MDL 4.69
$1.04฿33.74
-74.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.25MDL 90.7
$13.77฿448
-61.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42MDL 24.51
$1.34฿43.79
5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6KMDL 545.4K
$27.7K฿901.4K
14.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9KMDL 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)
$171MDL 2,955
$124฿4,025
38.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.62MDL 132
$13.52฿440
-43.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.96MDL 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
$7.49MDL 129
$9.14฿298
-18.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$386MDL 6,666
$703฿22.9K
-45.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,640MDL 131.9K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-51.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.2MDL 1,127
$59.5฿1,937
9.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.4MDL 922
$35.07฿1,142
52.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114MDL 1,967
$115฿3,754
-1.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124MDL 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.