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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,039 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,539 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,038 in Calafat, rent included.

Phuket costs about 22% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Calafat 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.15 RON 41.62

-51.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$42.16 RON 192

8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.86 RON 35.73

11.45%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.35 RON 10.70

26.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.88 RON 4.00

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.89 RON 4.05

-56.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.12 RON 5.09

125.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.08 RON 9.46

80.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.30 RON 5.89

65.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.84 RON 3.81

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.49 RON 6.76

46.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.50 RON 11.35

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.60 RON 34.57

163.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.75 RON 30.68

-46.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.03 RON 31.94

92.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.13 RON 5.16

186.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.59 RON 7.22

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.42 RON 6.44

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.58 RON 7.17

31.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.66 RON 3.00

134.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.83 RON 3.77

75.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.84 RON 3.83

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.73 RON 3.34

-34.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.92 RON 26.94

-26.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.55 RON 29.77

183.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.96 RON 4.36

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.13 RON 9.69

24.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.67 RON 3.04

111.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$19.92 RON 90.6

-41.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.60 RON 2.71

428.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.50 RON 2.26

106.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.00 RON 31.81

98.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.57 RON 7.12

-14.65%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$28.4K RON 129.0K

-2.09%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.6K RON 125.7K

20.75%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$206 RON 938

-40.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$8.14 RON 37.00

69.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$6.99 RON 31.77

162.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$41.99 RON 191

44.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.47 RON 88.5

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.42 RON 29.21

38.16%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$432 RON 1,962

59.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,832 RON 40.2K

78.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$78.0 RON 354

-23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$37.32 RON 170

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$79.5 RON 362

44.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$85.7 RON 390

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$393 RON 1,786

58.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$296 RON 1,346

50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$595 RON 2,705

241.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$434 RON 1,974

244.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,762 RON 8,009

96.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,245 RON 5,662

103.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$819 RON 3,724

-39.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $393 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 66% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $42.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $182 – 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: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,039 in Calafat – roughly 22% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,559 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $1,039 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% 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 $1,039, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,039 in Calafat to $1,264 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.