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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $916 in Cugir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,367 in Cugir, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,817 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 10% lower, Cugir 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.22 RON 28.51

-29.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$22.49 RON 103

43.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.58 RON 34.71

17.81%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.65 RON 7.56

75.76%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.36 RON 6.22

-35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.22 RON 5.57

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.52 RON 6.96

54.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.19 RON 10.03

69.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.19 RON 5.46

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.30 RON 5.98

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.86 RON 8.50

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.78 RON 12.75

-24.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$7.58 RON 34.72

158.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.11 RON 23.41

-33.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$10.73 RON 49.17

6.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.71 RON 7.82

74.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.88 RON 8.62

-10.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.72 RON 7.89

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.50 RON 6.87

44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.77 RON 3.55

97.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.92 RON 4.24

45.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.25 RON 5.71

-9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.86 RON 3.92

-36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.69 RON 26.09

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$6.23 RON 28.52

206.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.30 RON 5.96

36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.82 RON 8.32

52.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.73 RON 3.37

205.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$23.12 RON 106

-1.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.53 RON 2.43

471.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.53 RON 2.45

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.44 RON 24.92

-28.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.41 RON 6.44

5.67%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$29.4K RON 134.7K

-9.60%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$26.0K RON 119.1K

3.94%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$129 RON 590

-20.39%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$8.48 RON 38.84

33.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$7.63 RON 34.95

128.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$40.17 RON 184

29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$20.99 RON 96.1

-47.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.37 RON 24.58

43.20%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$167 RON 765

235.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$3,975 RON 18.2K

189.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$33.64 RON 154

87.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$8.84 RON 40.51

233.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$74.6 RON 342

31.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$77.0 RON 353

14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$396 RON 1,815

86.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$304 RON 1,395

58.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$624 RON 2,860

237.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$473 RON 2,166

159.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,878 RON 8,602

92.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,414 RON 6,479

84.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$548 RON 2,510

-9.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.35

-24.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cugir: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $396 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 11% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Cugir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $200 – 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,374 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $22.00 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $916 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 $916, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.