Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Living in Phuket is roughly 1% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Craiova 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.47 RON 34.28

-40.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$37.52 RON 172

-14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.73 RON 35.45

15.52%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.87 RON 13.18

1.05%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.31 RON 10.59

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.90 RON 8.73

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.45 RON 11.26

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.61 RON 16.58

3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.32 RON 6.06

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.92 RON 4.22

59.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.50 RON 6.86

3.33%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.44 RON 15.77

-38.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.54 RON 34.60

159.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.70 RON 30.73

-48.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.65 RON 53.5

-2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.04 RON 4.79

186.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.52 RON 6.99

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.52 RON 6.99

45.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.90 RON 8.71

13.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.86 RON 3.92

76.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.94 RON 4.32

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.77 RON 3.51

46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.74 RON 3.38

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.70 RON 30.75

-36.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.74 RON 30.90

183.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.18 RON 5.44

50.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.60 RON 7.36

73.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.89 RON 4.08

150.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$26.08 RON 120

-12.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.63 RON 2.88

380.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.64 RON 2.91

59.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.62 RON 30.37

-41.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.88 RON 8.61

-20.74%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-10.31%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-0.88%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$206 RON 947

-50.33%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$10.52 RON 48.28

7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$11.68 RON 53.6

48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$41.43 RON 190

25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$22.75 RON 104

-51.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.91 RON 36.28

-2.78%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$441 RON 2,025

27.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

32.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$58.8 RON 270

7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$49.69 RON 228

-40.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$82.6 RON 379

18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$108 RON 497

-18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$536 RON 2,460

37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$401 RON 1,840

20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$921 RON 4,225

128.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$618 RON 2,836

98.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

30.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,050 RON 9,407

26.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$981 RON 4,500

-49.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.84

-18.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $202, with Craiova cheaper for home cooking.

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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Craiova. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $536 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,219 in Craiova – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 15% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,219 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.