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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $966 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,474 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,981 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Alba Iulia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.77 RON 39.61

-48.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,070

$33.62 RON 152

-2.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿292

$6.11 RON 27.57

45.66%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.0

$2.38 RON 10.74

17.65%

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

$0.88 ฿28.88

$1.81 RON 8.17

-51.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.05

$1.51 RON 6.83

-67.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.4

$2.07 RON 9.34

15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.23 RON 10.06

66.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$1.30 RON 5.88

37.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.30

$1.21 RON 5.48

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.0

$1.52 RON 6.88

3.95%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.8

$2.87 RON 12.95

-25.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿654

$8.20 RON 37.04

142.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.46 RON 29.19

-46.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.33 RON 51.2

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.8

$0.99 RON 4.45

197.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.5

$1.37 RON 6.21

25.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.3

$1.37 RON 6.17

69.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$2.40 RON 10.82

-13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.74 RON 3.35

98.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.56

$0.63 RON 2.83

115.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$0.90 RON 4.07

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.85

$0.67 RON 3.03

-14.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.67 RON 25.58

-24.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿604

$4.45 RON 20.11

313.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.4

$1.18 RON 5.33

58.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿95.8

$1.35 RON 6.09

116.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.8

$0.80 RON 3.60

177.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿751

$17.49 RON 79.0

30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$0.67 RON 3.00

352.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.24

$0.70 RON 3.15

52.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$4.78 RON 21.59

-17.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.95

$1.64 RON 7.42

-9.15%

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

$27.1K ฿890.1K

$29.6K RON 133.7K

-8.37%

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

$27.5K ฿900.7K

$25.3K RON 114.4K

8.37%

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

$103 ฿3,373

$131 RON 591

-21.43%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$7.84 RON 35.38

40.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿575

$9.42 RON 42.53

85.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,756

$30.99 RON 140

72.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿367

$32.48 RON 147

-65.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.37 RON 24.24

39.29%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$472 RON 2,129

18.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿388.9K

$7,101 RON 32.1K

66.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,102

$40.19 RON 181

59.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿954

$24.56 RON 111

18.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,148

$79.1 RON 357

21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,964

$66.9 RON 302

35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$312 RON 1,406

134.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$295 RON 1,333

69.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.6K

$633 RON 2,859

230.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$495 RON 2,237

144.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.0K

$1,673 RON 7,554

114.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.4K

$1,454 RON 6,563

72.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$961 RON 4,337

-47.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.97

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $197, with Alba Iulia cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Alba Iulia. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $966 in Alba Iulia – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 31% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $966 in Alba Iulia versus $1,253 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 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.