Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $962 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,464 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 32% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Alba Iulia 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.07 RON 41.02

-48.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$34.38 RON 155

31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.27 RON 28.34

34.45%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.41 RON 10.89

21.58%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.90 RON 8.57

-63.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.64 RON 7.42

-77.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.25 RON 10.18

7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.31 RON 10.45

61.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.37 RON 6.17

62.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.24 RON 5.61

47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.63 RON 7.38

33.13%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.04 RON 13.74

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.64 RON 39.05

128.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.62 RON 29.91

-45.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.88 RON 53.7

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.98 RON 4.42

234.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.42 RON 6.44

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.36 RON 6.16

77.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.39 RON 10.81

-12.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.78 RON 3.54

96.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.61 RON 2.75

142.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.87 RON 3.95

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.66 RON 2.99

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.83 RON 26.37

-24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.32 RON 19.51

348.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.14 RON 5.16

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.34 RON 6.08

102.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.83 RON 3.76

65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$17.22 RON 77.8

-33.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.71 RON 3.19

325.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.77 RON 3.46

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.21 RON 23.54

170.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.52 RON 6.88

-10.53%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$28.0K RON 126.7K

0.59%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.3K RON 123.4K

20.53%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$137 RON 619

-11.15%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.11 RON 36.66

67.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$9.06 RON 40.94

102.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$31.74 RON 144

89.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$34.20 RON 155

-49.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.42 RON 24.50

60.33%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$454 RON 2,050

52.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,512 RON 29.4K

140.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$42.24 RON 191

40.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$26.28 RON 119

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$81.6 RON 369

40.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$70.1 RON 317

18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$323 RON 1,460

89.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$273 RON 1,233

60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$550 RON 2,485

281.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$451 RON 2,039

234.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,683 RON 7,606

122.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,471 RON 6,650

77.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$958 RON 4,331

-46.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.7

-30.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $202 per month, with Alba Iulia 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

Phuket vs Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alba Iulia earns 89% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $962 in Alba Iulia – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 51% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $962 in Alba Iulia versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia 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, Phuket and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.