Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $697 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,101 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,505 in Cahul.

Living in Phuket is roughly 82% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.63 MDL 148

-45.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$36.47 MDL 627

24.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.53 MDL 129

11.95%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.88 MDL 32.31

55.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.98 MDL 16.93

-29.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.68 MDL 11.73

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.78 MDL 30.60

35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.32 MDL 39.87

60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.29 MDL 22.13

72.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.52 MDL 8.96

251.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.45 MDL 24.88

49.66%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.59 MDL 44.56

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.47 MDL 180

88.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.54 MDL 95.3

-34.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.04 MDL 155

49.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.90 MDL 15.55

264.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.82 MDL 31.30

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.73 MDL 29.66

39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.14 MDL 36.73

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.83 MDL 14.20

84.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.59 MDL 10.12

150.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.35 MDL 23.25

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.82 MDL 14.05

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.15 MDL 54.1

40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.75 MDL 81.7

308.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.26 MDL 21.62

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.98 MDL 34.10

36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.08 MDL 35.83

45.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.27 MDL 4.67

266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.21 MDL 89.5

170.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.41 MDL 24.32

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

-10.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

5.02%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$173 MDL 2,969

-29.54%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$7.41 MDL 127

83.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$10.80 MDL 186

69.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.49 MDL 129

16.02%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$384 MDL 6,606

80.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

107.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$65.6 MDL 1,128

-9.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$54.5 MDL 937

-36.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$115 MDL 1,972

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$123 MDL 2,113

-32.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$523 MDL 8,999

-2.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.24

-42.32%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $192 per month, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cahul earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $697 in Cahul – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.