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 $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,530 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,009 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 10% lower, Calafat 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.85 RON 35.96

-43.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$37.73 RON 173

-14.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.61 RON 34.86

17.35%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.15 RON 9.85

34.88%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.59 RON 7.29

-44.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.93 RON 4.26

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.08 RON 4.94

117.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.03 RON 9.28

83.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.20 RON 5.51

55.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.80 RON 3.66

83.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.41 RON 6.47

9.93%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.43 RON 11.13

-13.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$7.14 RON 32.70

174.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.81 RON 31.21

-49.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$6.47 RON 29.63

75.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.03 RON 4.71

189.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.57 RON 7.19

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.35 RON 6.18

63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.58 RON 7.23

36.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.65 RON 2.96

133.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.79 RON 3.64

69.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.78 RON 3.60

44.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.74 RON 3.41

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.65 RON 25.89

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$6.79 RON 31.12

181.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$0.93 RON 4.28

91.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.56 RON 7.12

78.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.79 RON 3.60

182.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$22.67 RON 104

0.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.58 RON 2.64

422.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.53 RON 2.43

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.74 RON 30.86

-42.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.58 RON 7.23

-5.70%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

-2.56%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$27.2K RON 124.4K

-0.49%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$204 RON 935

-49.80%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$7.64 RON 35.01

48.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$6.66 RON 30.50

161.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$40.90 RON 187

27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$21.36 RON 97.8

-48.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.62 RON 34.93

0.92%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$438 RON 2,007

27.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,568 RON 39.2K

34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$59.0 RON 270

6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$44.26 RON 203

-33.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$82.2 RON 377

19.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$88.7 RON 406

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$409 RON 1,874

80.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$302 RON 1,385

59.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$636 RON 2,913

231.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$474 RON 2,172

158.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,939 RON 8,882

86.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,406 RON 6,440

85.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$849 RON 3,891

-41.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Calafat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $409 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 72% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $175 in Calafat – so Calafat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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, $1,051 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 $1,577 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 $1,051 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $1,051, 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 $1,051 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.