Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Elbasan

For one person, living is cheaper in Elbasan: $887 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Elbasan
Learn more

Elbasan Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Elbasan

🇦🇱 Albania

$887

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Elbasan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Elbasan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $887 in Elbasan, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Elbasan $887

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,399 in Elbasan, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Elbasan $1,399

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,912 in Elbasan, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Elbasan $1,912

Phuket costs about 46% more than Elbasan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Elbasan 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$9.95 ALL 802

-55.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,078

$36.83 ALL 2,967

-12.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿290

$6.76 ALL 544

28.70%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿90.9

$1.72 ALL 138

58.14%

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

$0.93 ฿31.06

$1.40 ALL 113

-33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.67

$0.65 ALL 52.7

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$2.14 ALL 172

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.74 ALL 220

32.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.90 ALL 153

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$0.94 ALL 75.4

54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.1

$1.57 ALL 127

-4.46%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.5

$2.60 ALL 210

-16.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.33 ALL 833

84.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿113

$5.91 ALL 476

-42.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

$11.30 ALL 910

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.2

$1.20 ALL 96.8

145.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$2.25 ALL 182

-24.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.2

$1.39 ALL 112

57.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.9

$1.14 ALL 91.6

85.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.68

$1.00 ALL 80.2

46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.66

$1.04 ALL 83.8

31.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.91

$0.83 ALL 66.6

30.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.66 ALL 53.5

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$4.34 ALL 350

2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿609

$6.10 ALL 492

199.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$1.02 ALL 82.3

73.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.2

$1.80 ALL 145

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.47 ALL 38.22

208.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,832

$19.64 ALL 1,583

179.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.5

$3.60 ALL 290

-58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.90

$1.45 ALL 117

-46.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

$14.57 ALL 1,174

-73.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.65

$2.14 ALL 172

-30.37%

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

$26.9K ฿897.3K

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

-7.98%

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

$26.3K ฿879.4K

$29.3K ALL 2.4M

-10.00%

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

$97.8 ฿3,265

$61.7 ALL 4,971

58.55%

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

$11.29 ฿377

$15.34 ALL 1,236

-26.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿574

$12.08 ALL 973

42.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,281

$58.0 ALL 4,671

17.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

$17.03 ALL 1,372

-35.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

$4.41 ALL 355

68.48%

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

$530 ฿17.7K

$142 ALL 11.4K

274.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿626.9K

$1,886 ALL 151.9K

895.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,059

$72.7 ALL 5,857

-15.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿943

$44.03 ALL 3,548

-35.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,204

$93.4 ALL 7,523

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,898

$96.4 ALL 7,768

-9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

$297 ALL 23.9K

143.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

$208 ALL 16.8K

144.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.1K

$435 ALL 35.1K

348.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.6K

$317 ALL 25.5K

341.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿139.9K

$1,377 ALL 111.0K

204.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.1K

$870 ALL 70.1K

278.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

$626 ALL 50.4K

-21.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.1

-8.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Elbasan

$208 23.5% 59% $300

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Elbasan

$208 23.4% 22.2% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Elbasan

$89 10.1% 29.4% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Elbasan

$138 15.6% 12.4% $15

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Elbasan

$145 16.3% 21.2% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Elbasan

$67 7.5% 19.7% $16

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Elbasan

$32 3.7% 51% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $297 in Elbasan. 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 27% higher in Elbasan, 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 in Phuket versus $37 in Elbasan. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Phuket vs $208 in Elbasan – so Elbasan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇱 Elbasan

🕒 Local time

08:06 8:06 AM

02:06 2:06 AM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

78,703

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 3 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 80.57 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.45 ALL (100 ALL = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Elbasan 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Elbasan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Elbasan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,331 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $297 there versus $721 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $37 in Elbasan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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