Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $878 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,385 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,893 in Arad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 42% more than Arad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.18 RON 42.13

-50.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$33.99 RON 156

35.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.84 RON 31.39

29.24%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.27 RON 10.42

34.80%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.56 RON 7.18

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.75 RON 8.05

-77.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.09 RON 9.57

16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.70 RON 12.40

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.50 RON 6.89

50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.22 RON 5.61

48.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.54 RON 7.06

46.10%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.94 RON 13.50

-23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.87 RON 36.14

147.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.32 RON 19.83

-15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.78 RON 40.29

48.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.21 RON 5.53

166.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.59 RON 7.32

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.73 RON 7.92

37.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.69 RON 7.78

20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.77 RON 3.55

98.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.87 RON 3.99

72.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.06 RON 4.85

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.86 RON 3.97

-39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.74 RON 26.33

-22.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.29 RON 24.29

246.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.03 RON 4.75

80.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.64 RON 7.53

63.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.91 RON 4.17

54.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$23.47 RON 108

-50.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.90 RON 4.14

245.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.87 RON 3.97

19.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$9.34 RON 42.89

51.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.57 RON 7.20

-16.56%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$28.4K RON 130.5K

-2.19%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.8K RON 122.9K

24.10%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$108 RON 498

12.97%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.55 RON 39.25

58.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$7.65 RON 35.10

144.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$38.59 RON 177

56.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$23.10 RON 106

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.79 RON 26.59

56.65%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$227 RON 1,041

211.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,930 RON 31.8K

128.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$39.65 RON 182

47.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$38.74 RON 178

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$80.7 RON 371

43.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$70.1 RON 322

19.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$317 RON 1,457

97.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$216 RON 990

106.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$565 RON 2,594

261.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$437 RON 2,004

241.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,456 RON 6,685

139.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,105 RON 5,074

133.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$847 RON 3,889

-41.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $317 in Arad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in Arad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $185 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 42% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,316 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $34.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $878 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $878 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.