Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buzau Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buzau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,568 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,020 in Buzau.

Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than in Buzau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Buzau 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.27 RON 56.3

-62.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$25.22 RON 116

83.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.79 RON 26.59

52.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.81 RON 12.89

8.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.98 RON 9.09

-63.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.58 RON 7.26

-74.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.28 RON 15.07

-25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.52 RON 16.16

7.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.55 RON 7.13

45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.36 RON 6.24

33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.70 RON 7.80

32.35%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.35 RON 15.37

-32.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.70 RON 39.93

124.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.59 RON 30.24

-44.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.03 RON 46.04

30.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.96 RON 4.40

236.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.61 RON 7.37

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.18 RON 5.42

101.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.72 RON 7.89

18.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.87 RON 4.00

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.06 RON 4.87

41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.61 RON 2.79

60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.59 RON 2.72

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.59 RON 25.66

-20.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.59 RON 30.24

178.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.05 RON 4.83

77.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.68 RON 7.70

59.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.70 RON 3.21

101.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$19.62 RON 90.1

-40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.69 RON 3.15

350.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.70 RON 3.22

48.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$7.11 RON 32.64

98.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.63 RON 7.49

-19.63%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$21.6K RON 98.9K

29.06%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.7K RON 104.2K

46.27%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$126 RON 577

-2.58%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.41 RON 29.44

112.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$8.76 RON 40.23

113.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.26 RON 171

62.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$19.99 RON 91.8

-15.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.86 RON 26.90

54.78%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$339 RON 1,554

108.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,608 RON 30.3K

139.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$61.4 RON 282

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$43.38 RON 199

-18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$96.7 RON 444

19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$96.7 RON 444

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$430 RON 1,975

45.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$369 RON 1,696

20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$633 RON 2,908

222.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$462 RON 2,121

222.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,524 RON 6,995

128.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,220 RON 5,599

111.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$899 RON 4,127

-44.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Buzau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $430 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buzau 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $202 per month, with Buzau 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 Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Buzau differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,115 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Buzau. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $430 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Buzau – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,115 in Buzau versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau 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 Buzau 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 Buzau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.