Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calafat Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calafat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,052 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,550 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,048 in Calafat, rent included.

Phuket costs about 17% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Calafat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$9.08 RON 39.60

-49.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$42.09 RON 184

11.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.87 RON 34.31

12.33%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.27 RON 9.89

32.16%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.88 RON 3.84

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.90 RON 3.94

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.13 RON 4.91

115.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.12 RON 9.24

70.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.29 RON 5.62

75.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.89 RON 3.87

106.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.46 RON 6.38

53.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.58 RON 11.25

-10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.37 RON 32.12

166.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.49 RON 28.29

-43.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.03 RON 30.65

86.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.16 RON 5.07

192.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.58 RON 6.89

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.39 RON 6.07

73.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.62 RON 7.07

25.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.68 RON 2.96

129.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.77 RON 3.38

94.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.80 RON 3.47

27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.79 RON 3.43

-37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.71 RON 24.91

-22.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.24 RON 27.22

202.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.96 RON 4.18

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.06 RON 8.97

33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.68 RON 2.95

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$20.15 RON 87.9

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.57 RON 2.47

447.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.54 RON 2.37

85.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.78 RON 29.57

107.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.55 RON 6.75

-12.90%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$28.1K RON 122.5K

-3.22%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.6K RON 120.4K

19.19%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$211 RON 921

-40.87%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$8.07 RON 35.20

68.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$7.09 RON 30.92

161.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$41.04 RON 179

49.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$18.87 RON 82.3

-10.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.64 RON 28.94

38.40%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$430 RON 1,873

62.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$9,050 RON 39.5K

72.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$79.0 RON 345

-26.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$37.35 RON 163

-5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$78.9 RON 344

43.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$85.6 RON 373

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$394 RON 1,716

56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$289 RON 1,261

54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$589 RON 2,567

247.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$440 RON 1,920

238.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,061 RON 8,984

83.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,400 RON 6,105

89.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$873 RON 3,808

-40.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $394 in Calafat. 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 67% higher in Calafat, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $42.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $180 – making Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,052 in Calafat – roughly 17% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,578 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,052 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Calafat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,052 in Calafat to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calafat. 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.