🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,465 in Herceg Novi.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,156 in Herceg Novi.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,848 in Herceg Novi.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Herceg Novi, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Herceg Novi is 10% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$11.53€10.09
-60.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$37.39€32.75
23.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$10.47€9.17
-15.57%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$2.61€2.29
17.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$2.82€2.47
-74.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$1.94€1.70
-79.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.93€2.57
-17.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.98€2.61
26.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.39€1.22
62.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.93€0.81
94.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$2.53€2.22
-11.07%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$3.18€2.78
-29.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$8.94€7.83
118.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$7.63€6.68
-52.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$11.69€10.23
11.63%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.32€1.16
144.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.69€1.48
-4.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$1.63€1.43
46.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$3.00€2.62
-32.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.09€0.96
40.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.40€1.23
7.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.55€1.36
-36.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.82€0.71
-36.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$3.66€3.21
21.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$4.66€4.08
293.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.23€1.08
51.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.77€1.55
51.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$1.15€1.00
22.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$58.1€50.9
-79.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$2.28€1.99
36.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.74€0.65
40.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$17.59€15.41
-19.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.79€1.57
-26.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$34.1K€29.9K
-18.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$22.1K€19.4K
50.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$139€122
-11.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$16.73€14.65
-18.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$31.83€27.88
-41.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$58.0€50.8
4.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$11.58€10.15
46.63%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$8.24€7.21
10.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$521€456
35.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$7,796€6,828
102.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$87.2€76.3
-32.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$35.17€30.80
0.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$75.7€66.3
52.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$96.4€84.5
-13.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$741€649
-15.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$564€494
-21.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$1,392€1,219
46.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$974€853
53.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$3,656€3,202
-4.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$2,513€2,201
2.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$1,059€928
-52.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5
6.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Herceg Novi: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $741 in Herceg Novi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Herceg Novi pays 112% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Herceg Novi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $225 per month, with Herceg Novi 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 Herceg Novi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Herceg Novi?
Phuket and Herceg Novi differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,465 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Herceg Novi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Herceg Novi?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $741 in Herceg Novi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Herceg Novi pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $37.00 in Herceg Novi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,465 in Herceg Novi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Herceg Novi. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Herceg Novi?
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.
Is Phuket or Herceg Novi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Herceg Novi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Herceg Novi?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Herceg Novi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.