Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Focsani

For one person, living is cheaper in Focsani: $1,022 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Focsani
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,022
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Focsani

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 Focsani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,022 in Focsani.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Focsani $1,022

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $1,645 in Focsani.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Focsani $1,645

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $2,268 in Focsani.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Focsani $2,268

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Focsani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Focsani 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$7.15 RON 33.85
-35.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$42.05 RON 199
-22.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$7.21 RON 34.11
18.59%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$2.50 RON 11.84
8.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$1.93 RON 9.15
-51.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.59 RON 7.50
-69.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$1.92 RON 9.07
34.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$2.56 RON 12.11
49.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.65 RON 7.82
5.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.11 RON 5.24
28.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$1.23 RON 5.83
24.39%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.15 RON 14.89
-31.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$8.72 RON 41.26
119.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$6.86 RON 32.45
-51.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$10.66 RON 50.4
4.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$1.16 RON 5.48
154.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.55 RON 7.35
8.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.55 RON 7.32
48.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$2.28 RON 10.77
-6.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.83 RON 3.92
84.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.74 RON 3.50
83.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$0.61 RON 2.87
83.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.71 RON 3.37
-22.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$5.92 RON 28.01
-28.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$4.23 RON 20.00
330.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.14 RON 5.39
52.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.48 RON 7.00
88.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$0.83 RON 3.91
167.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$15.66 RON 74.1
40.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$0.65 RON 3.08
347.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$0.65 RON 3.06
55.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$6.43 RON 30.42
-40.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.88 RON 8.89
-20.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$24.8K RON 117.1K
7.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$24.2K RON 114.5K
10.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$170 RON 806
-41.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$8.23 RON 38.96
37.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$9.13 RON 43.22
90.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$27.99 RON 132
86.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$36.72 RON 174
-70.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$8.51 RON 40.28
-11.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$312 RON 1,478
78.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$14.6K RON 69.1K
-21.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$89.2 RON 422
-29.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$38.34 RON 181
-25.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$80.3 RON 380
19.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$90.5 RON 428
-2.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$365 RON 1,726
100.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$292 RON 1,381
57.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$909 RON 4,300
130.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$638 RON 3,020
91.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,060 RON 5,014
226.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$872 RON 4,125
185.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Focsani
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$690 RON 3,263
-28.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.75
-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Focsani: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Focsani
$292 36.5% $168
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Focsani
$202 24.4% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Focsani
$188 46.6% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Focsani
$134 8.2% $10
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Focsani
$138 13.5% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Focsani
$45 33.2% $22
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Focsani
$23 41.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $365 in Focsani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Focsani pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Focsani. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $202, with Focsani cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇴 Focsani
🕒 Local time
08:37 8:37 AM
04:37 4:37 AM
4 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
97,186
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Focsani 7,920 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Focsani

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 Focsani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Focsani?
Focsani wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Focsani the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Focsani?
On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Focsani. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Focsani?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $365 in Focsani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Focsani?
Dining out is cheaper in Focsani – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Focsani?
All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Phuket versus $1,022 in Focsani – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Focsani?
At $1,022 in Focsani versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Focsani but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Focsani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Focsani?
Both work as nomad bases, but Focsani delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,022 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Focsani hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Focsani?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Focsani 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Focsani 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.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?