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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $945 in Cugir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,401 in Cugir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,856 in Cugir, rent included.

Phuket costs about 33% more than Cugir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cugir are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cugir 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.27 RON 28.36

-27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$22.61 RON 102

106.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.87 RON 35.60

7.62%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.66 RON 7.50

82.53%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.48 RON 6.71

-53.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.34 RON 6.04

-72.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.56 RON 7.07

59.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.35 RON 10.64

55.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.53 RON 6.90

42.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.31 RON 5.91

45.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.44 RON 6.50

52.78%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.25 RON 14.70

-31.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.47 RON 42.82

111.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.34 RON 28.68

-42.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.26 RON 51.0

17.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.08 RON 4.88

199.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.56 RON 7.06

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.55 RON 7.00

54.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.47 RON 11.18

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.78 RON 3.51

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.98 RON 4.43

51.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.68 RON 3.08

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.80 RON 3.61

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.76 RON 26.04

-26.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.87 RON 26.58

220.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.21 RON 5.45

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.67 RON 7.54

65.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.72 RON 3.26

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$19.74 RON 89.3

-42.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.55 RON 2.48

470.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.53 RON 2.41

96.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.87 RON 26.56

134.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.52 RON 6.86

-11.84%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$28.0K RON 126.6K

-1.09%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$26.2K RON 118.7K

29.04%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$138 RON 626

-10.76%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$8.42 RON 38.11

60.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$9.39 RON 42.46

99.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$41.99 RON 190

47.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$19.26 RON 87.1

-10.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.02 RON 36.28

13.97%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$494 RON 2,237

42.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$10.3K RON 46.5K

54.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$33.85 RON 153

75.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$9.29 RON 42.03

277.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$82.7 RON 374

39.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$91.6 RON 414

-8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$381 RON 1,722

62.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$296 RON 1,337

46.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$576 RON 2,606

257.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$445 RON 2,014

239.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,080 RON 9,410

75.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,336 RON 6,045

96.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$559 RON 2,530

-9.37%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cugir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $381 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 10% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Cugir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $212 – 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 33%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,418 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 $47.00 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $945 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 $945, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.