Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alba Iulia

For one person, living is cheaper in Alba Iulia: $901 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Alba Iulia
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Alba Iulia Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Alba Iulia

🇷🇴 Romania

$901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Alba Iulia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Alba Iulia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $901 in Alba Iulia.

Phuket $1,278
Alba Iulia $901

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,378 in Alba Iulia.

Phuket $2,216
Alba Iulia $1,378

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,855 in Alba Iulia.

Phuket $3,154
Alba Iulia $1,855

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Alba Iulia 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$8.60 RON 41.33

-48.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$30.98 RON 149

4.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$5.88 RON 28.26

49.83%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$2.28 RON 10.95

24.12%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$1.75 RON 8.43

-50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$1.48 RON 7.13

-66.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$1.97 RON 9.46

29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.04 RON 9.79

80.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.23 RON 5.91

34.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$1.08 RON 5.20

35.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.43 RON 6.86

4.90%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.69 RON 12.94

-22.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$7.53 RON 36.18

153.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$6.03 RON 28.98

-45.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.80 RON 51.9

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$0.92 RON 4.44

218.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.31 RON 6.29

29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.26 RON 6.06

78.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$2.33 RON 11.20

-10.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.72 RON 3.44

109.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.59 RON 2.83

133.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$0.87 RON 4.18

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$0.61 RON 2.92

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$5.18 RON 24.89

-18.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$4.28 RON 20.56

339.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.12 RON 5.37

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.27 RON 6.11

123.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$0.75 RON 3.60

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$16.98 RON 81.6

233.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.64 RON 3.06

371.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$0.63 RON 3.03

61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$4.47 RON 21.47

-17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$1.50 RON 7.21

-2.00%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$28.8K RON 138.4K

-7.00%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$23.7K RON 114.1K

12.44%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$125 RON 599

-22.63%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$7.31 RON 35.13

54.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$9.01 RON 43.30

87.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$29.55 RON 142

127.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$30.83 RON 148

-65.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$5.09 RON 24.45

47.35%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$435 RON 2,093

9.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$6,969 RON 33.5K

61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$38.02 RON 183

64.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$23.94 RON 115

18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$73.8 RON 355

27.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$61.7 RON 297

39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$296 RON 1,422

141.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$283 RON 1,360

73.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$612 RON 2,942

214.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$478 RON 2,299

199.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$1,643 RON 7,896

154.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,401 RON 6,734

117.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$903 RON 4,341

-44.38%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Alba Iulia

$283 31.4% 42.4% $208

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Alba Iulia

$185 20.5% 30.7% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Alba Iulia

$141 15.6% 13.2% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Alba Iulia

$89 9.9% 27.1% $33

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Alba Iulia

$141 15.6% 15.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Alba Iulia

$40 4.4% 51.7% $43

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Alba Iulia

$24 2.6% 66.3% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $296 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $31 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $185 per month, with Alba Iulia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇷🇴 Alba Iulia

🕒 Local time

01:40 1:40 AM

20:40 8:40 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

63,536

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 RON = 0.208 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.81 RON (1 RON = 0.208 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Alba Iulia 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Alba Iulia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, transport, and leisure. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $296 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $901 in Alba Iulia – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 70% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $901 in Alba Iulia versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.