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: $677 in Orhei versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Orhei versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,449 in Orhei versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Orhei costs roughly 45% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Orhei 49% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 MDL 149

$4.63 ฿151

86.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 MDL 625

$46.84 ฿1,532

-22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 MDL 128

$8.84 ฿289

-15.95%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.34

$3.00 ฿98.0

-37.67%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.08

$0.74 ฿24.25

25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.15

$0.37 ฿11.95

75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.92

$2.44 ฿79.8

-29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MDL 41.33

$3.61 ฿118

-33.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.26

$2.26 ฿73.9

-42.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.03

$1.84 ฿60.1

-71.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.18

$2.24 ฿73.4

-34.82%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.71

$2.32 ฿75.7

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 MDL 182

$19.67 ฿643

-46.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 MDL 94.6

$3.65 ฿119

50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 MDL 151

$13.10 ฿428

-33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.61

$3.39 ฿111

-73.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.76

$1.64 ฿53.7

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 29.68

$2.41 ฿79.0

-28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.61

$2.03 ฿66.4

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.45

$1.56 ฿50.9

-46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$1.50 ฿48.94

-62.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.60

$1.02 ฿33.50

28.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.34

$0.49 ฿16.00

69.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 55.2

$4.45 ฿145

-28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.78

$1.78 ฿58.1

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.31

$2.75 ฿90.1

-27.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 MDL 3.05

$1.40 ฿45.81

-87.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.70

$3.12 ฿102

-35.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$1.00 ฿32.67

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 91.0

$14.09 ฿461

-62.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.43

$1.35 ฿44.19

5.19%

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

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

19.41%

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

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-4.48%

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

$173 MDL 2,979

$125 ฿4,087

38.17%

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

$7.41 MDL 128

$13.57 ฿444

-45.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 184

$18.52 ฿606

-42.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 MDL 128

$9.19 ฿300

-19.15%

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

$389 MDL 6,706

$698 ฿22.8K

-44.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-51.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 MDL 1,154

$57.8 ฿1,889

15.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MDL 916

$35.24 ฿1,152

50.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,966

$113 ฿3,699

0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,089

$86.4 ฿2,825

40.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 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 $292 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

Orhei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,016 in Orhei and $1,847 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $677 per month in Orhei versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Orhei versus $1,232 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.