Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Durres Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Durres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,036 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,594 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,151 in Durres.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Durres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$9.24 ALL 753

-51.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$34.65 ALL 2,824

34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$7.13 ALL 581

19.07%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.86 ALL 151

65.59%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.63 ALL 133

-58.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.85 ALL 69.1

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.39 ALL 195

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.24 ALL 264

12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$2.02 ALL 165

8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.87 ALL 71.2

108.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.97 ALL 161

13.20%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.92 ALL 238

-23.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$10.55 ALL 860

85.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$7.73 ALL 630

-51.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$13.18 ALL 1,075

2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.16 ALL 94.9

189.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.35 ALL 192

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.29 ALL 105

86.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.17 ALL 95.0

70.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.13 ALL 92.2

35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.02 ALL 83.3

42.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.13 ALL 92.2

-10.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.62 ALL 50.8

-22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.01 ALL 327

6.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$10.91 ALL 890

75.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.68 ALL 137

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.77 ALL 144

54.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.49 ALL 39.89

189.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$18.48 ALL 1,506

-36.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$3.47 ALL 282

-13.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$2.15 ALL 175

-51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$17.84 ALL 1,454

-22.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.16 ALL 176

-40.28%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$15.1K ALL 1.2M

85.89%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$25.6K ALL 2.1M

30.91%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$66.1 ALL 5,384

84.65%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$17.65 ALL 1,438

-21.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$16.01 ALL 1,305

17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$37.01 ALL 3,016

65.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$58.7 ALL 4,784

-71.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.18 ALL 585

23.82%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$177 ALL 14.5K

289.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,338 ALL 353.6K

272.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$38.20 ALL 3,113

51.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.03 ALL 3,181

-9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$86.0 ALL 7,009

31.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$153 ALL 12.4K

-45.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$416 ALL 33.9K

45.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$313 ALL 25.5K

42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$613 ALL 49.9K

231.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$436 ALL 35.6K

242.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,782 ALL 145.3K

101.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,133 ALL 92.4K

128.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$846 ALL 68.9K

-40.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Durres: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $416 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 68% 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 $35.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $240 per month, with Durres cheaper across the board.

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 Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durres wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durres the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Durres earns 68% less. 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: $607 in Phuket versus $416 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $1,036 in Durres – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 58% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,036 in Durres versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Durres but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Durres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Durres delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,036 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durres hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Durres 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 Durres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.