Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Brasov Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Brasov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,208 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,056 in Brasov.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Brasov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Brasov 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$12.33 RON 56.6

-64.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$54.5 RON 250

-40.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.83 RON 35.95

14.05%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.79 RON 17.41

-23.48%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.46 RON 11.27

-64.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.34 RON 10.76

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.31 RON 15.20

-29.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.50 RON 16.04

6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.59 RON 7.28

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.49 RON 6.84

-1.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.80 RON 8.28

-13.89%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.56 RON 16.33

-41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.07 RON 41.63

115.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.26 RON 33.31

-52.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.19 RON 60.5

-13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.60 RON 7.35

86.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.59 RON 7.31

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.67 RON 7.67

32.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.71 RON 12.46

-20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.81 RON 3.71

87.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.94 RON 4.31

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.93 RON 4.29

21.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.79 RON 3.61

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.55 RON 30.03

-34.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.72 RON 35.44

147.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.29 RON 5.93

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.95 RON 8.95

42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.13 RON 5.20

97.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$24.51 RON 112

-7.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.70 RON 3.22

332.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.66 RON 3.02

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.91 RON 31.73

-43.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.91 RON 8.77

-21.99%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$29.1K RON 133.5K

-8.65%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

0.24%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$185 RON 848

-44.53%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$8.06 RON 36.98

40.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$9.60 RON 44.05

81.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$59.9 RON 275

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.45 RON 66.3

-23.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$9.72 RON 44.58

-20.88%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$470 RON 2,157

19.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$7,272 RON 33.4K

58.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$55.3 RON 254

13.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$36.85 RON 169

-19.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$79.3 RON 364

23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$93.4 RON 428

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$715 RON 3,282

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$493 RON 2,260

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,357 RON 6,225

55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,065 RON 4,888

15.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$3,296 RON 15.1K

9.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,468 RON 11.3K

5.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,145 RON 5,254

-56.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Brasov: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $715 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $236, with Brasov 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 Brasov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Brasov differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,360 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 132% lower in Brasov. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $715 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $54.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,360 in Brasov – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Brasov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Brasov. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 Brasov 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.