Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cugir Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cugir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $946 in Cugir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,403 in Cugir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,861 in Cugir, rent included.

Phuket costs about 34% more than Cugir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cugir are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Cugir 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.45 RON 29.32

-30.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$22.59 RON 103

101.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.12 RON 36.91

7.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.73 RON 7.87

71.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.44 RON 6.53

-52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.32 RON 6.02

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.58 RON 7.17

60.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.31 RON 10.52

62.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.51 RON 6.89

42.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.32 RON 6.02

37.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.50 RON 6.81

45.33%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.18 RON 14.47

-29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.29 RON 42.25

115.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.48 RON 29.46

-43.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.25 RON 51.2

20.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.12 RON 5.11

189.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.51 RON 6.85

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.53 RON 6.97

52.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.48 RON 11.26

-16.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.73 RON 3.31

112.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.98 RON 4.45

48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.69 RON 3.13

42.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.73 RON 3.32

-34.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.92 RON 26.91

-26.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.34 RON 24.28

247.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.21 RON 5.51

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.72 RON 7.81

54.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.72 RON 3.28

97.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$20.17 RON 91.7

-42.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.59 RON 2.70

437.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.50 RON 2.29

106.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.84 RON 26.55

137.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.47 RON 6.68

-8.84%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$27.6K RON 125.4K

0.79%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.9K RON 117.7K

28.97%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$140 RON 638

-12.25%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$8.65 RON 39.33

59.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$9.25 RON 42.05

98.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$42.06 RON 191

44.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.42 RON 88.3

-11.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.85 RON 35.70

12.99%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$500 RON 2,273

37.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$10.3K RON 46.9K

53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$34.93 RON 159

69.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$9.41 RON 42.76

268.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.0 RON 382

37.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$92.1 RON 419

-9.05%

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

$292 RON 1,326

52.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$579 RON 2,631

251.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$432 RON 1,965

246.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,991 RON 9,050

73.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,396 RON 6,346

81.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$536 RON 2,436

-7.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.66

-19.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cugir: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $393 in Cugir. 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 9% higher in Cugir, 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 $23.00 in Cugir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $210 – making Cugir 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 Cugir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,419 in Cugir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Cugir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $946 in Cugir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cugir, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Cugir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cugir – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cugir. 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.