Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gjilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gjilan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $660 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,014 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 92% more expensive than Gjilan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Gjilan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.32 €3.72

8.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$19.90 €17.11

127.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.53 €4.76

52.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.41 €1.21

107.80%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.17 €1.01

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.91 €0.79

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.46 €1.26

65.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.36 €1.17

173.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.28 €1.10

74.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.45 €0.39

306.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.41 €1.21

53.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.54 €1.33

43.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.17 €5.31

219.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.88 €4.20

-25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.54 €9.07

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.26 €1.09

160.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.63 €1.41

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.40 €1.20

72.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.22 €1.05

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.78 €0.67

96.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.81 €0.70

82.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.67 €0.58

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.56 €0.48

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.56 €3.06

23.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.71 €4.91

239.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.95 €0.82

87.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.43 €1.23

89.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.55 €0.48

149.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.32 €2.00

30.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.53 €0.46

86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.87 €5.05

140.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.52 €1.30

-10.53%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$23.4K €20.1K

20.55%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.0K €21.5K

31.80%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$68.3 €58.7

78.24%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.53 €9.06

28.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$19.16 €16.48

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$17.45 €15.01

245.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.54 €3.90

91.41%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$170 €146

308.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,932 €2,522

434.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$39.27 €33.78

51.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$30.91 €26.59

12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$55.3 €47.55

107.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$84.9 €73.0

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$232 €199

164.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$177 €152

147.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$455 €392

359.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$342 €294

341.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$944 €812

297.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$726 €625

260.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$471 €405

7.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $232 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $164 per month, with Gjilan 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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Gjilan differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $660 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $232 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $660 in Gjilan – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $660 in Gjilan versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Gjilan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.