😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,093 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,789 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,485 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Drobeta-Turnu Severin18% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$13.97RON 60.9
-66.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$68.4RON 298
-31.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.91RON 34.49
11.76%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$3.43RON 14.94
-12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.26RON 9.85
-67.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.30RON 10.01
-83.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$3.50RON 15.24
-30.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$4.01RON 17.47
-9.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.72RON 7.52
31.40%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.37RON 5.96
34.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.86RON 8.11
20.43%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.63RON 15.82
-36.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$9.74RON 42.47
101.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.84RON 29.83
-46.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$12.08RON 52.7
8.44%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.36RON 5.94
149.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.77RON 7.71
-7.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.83RON 7.99
31.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.50RON 10.92
-18.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.00RON 4.34
56.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.96RON 4.17
56.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.00RON 4.36
2.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.89RON 3.87
-44.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.64RON 28.95
-32.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.98RON 34.79
136.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.22RON 5.32
45.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.00RON 8.73
37.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.71RON 3.10
97.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$19.65RON 85.7
-41.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.72RON 3.13
333.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.66RON 2.86
51.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$6.85RON 29.88
105.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.65RON 7.20
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.1KRON 127.0K
-6.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$30.6KRON 133.5K
7.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$183RON 796
-31.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$8.96RON 39.07
51.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$11.06RON 48.22
67.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.24RON 184
45.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$19.49RON 85.0
-13.60%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$8.98RON 39.16
2.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$658RON 2,870
6.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$14.3KRON 62.4K
8.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$80.9RON 353
-28.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$45.23RON 197
-22.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$88.9RON 387
27.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$110RON 480
-21.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$382RON 1,665
61.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$183RON 798
143.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$578RON 2,519
254.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$445RON 1,941
235.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$994RON 4,334
-47.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
7.1
-24.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $382 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Drobeta-Turnu Severin pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $68.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $235, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drobeta-Turnu Severin cheaper than Phuket?
Drobeta-Turnu Severin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
On paper, Drobeta-Turnu Severin earns 90% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $382 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Drobeta-Turnu Severin runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $658 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
At $1,093 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drobeta-Turnu Severin but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Drobeta-Turnu Severin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Drobeta-Turnu Severin more family-friendly?
For families, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Drobeta-Turnu Severin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.