Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Herceg Novi

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Herceg Novi: $1,208 and $1,257 a month, rent and utilities included.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Herceg Novi
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,257
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Herceg Novi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,257 in Herceg Novi.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Herceg Novi $1,257

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,997 in Herceg Novi.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Herceg Novi $1,997

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,737 in Herceg Novi.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Herceg Novi $2,737

Living in Phuket costs roughly 4% less than in Herceg Novi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Herceg Novi 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$11.23 €9.99
-60.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$36.29 €32.28
-11.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$9.16 €8.15
-4.37%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$2.65 €2.36
6.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.50 €2.23
-64.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.63 €1.45
-71.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.84 €2.53
-10.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.34 €2.97
14.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.20 €1.07
44.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.01 €0.90
45.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.93 €2.61
-48.46%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.98 €2.65
-27.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$9.02 €8.02
118.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$7.43 €6.61
-55.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$12.99 €11.56
-14.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$1.33 €1.18
114.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.57 €1.39
8.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.63 €1.45
34.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$2.96 €2.63
-30.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$0.95 €0.85
52.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.29 €1.15
6.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.54 €1.37
-30.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.95 €0.85
-46.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.00 €3.56
6.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$4.37 €3.89
325.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.28 €1.14
39.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$1.74 €1.55
63.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.64 €1.46
37.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$44.46 €39.55
-50.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$2.84 €2.53
5.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$1.10 €0.97
-3.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$17.09 €15.20
-77.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.72 €1.53
-15.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$32.3K €28.8K
-18.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$21.4K €19.0K
25.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$136 €121
-29.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$13.14 €11.69
-15.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$33.88 €30.14
-49.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$56.6 €50.3
-7.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$11.39 €10.13
-2.02%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$7.81 €6.94
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$444 €395
25.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$7,024 €6,248
64.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$84.3 €75.0
-23.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$33.74 €30.01
-14.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$72.7 €64.7
31.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$95.8 €85.2
-8.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$651 €579
13.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$399 €355
15.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,257 €1,118
66.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$888 €790
35.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$3,685 €3,278
-5.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$2,421 €2,153
4.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Herceg Novi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$1,031 €917
-51.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5
11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Herceg Novi: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Herceg Novi
$399 13.8% $64
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Herceg Novi
$228 15.1% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Herceg Novi
$183 47.1% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Herceg Novi
$129 3.7% $4.6
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Herceg Novi
$187 53.9% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Herceg Novi
$72 6.5% $4.4
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Herceg Novi
$59 50.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $651 in Herceg Novi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Herceg Novi pays 106% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Herceg Novi. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $228, with Herceg Novi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇪 Herceg Novi
🕒 Local time
01:01 1:01 AM
20:01 8:01 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
11,059
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Herceg Novi 8,590 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Herceg Novi

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 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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,208 vs $1,257 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 106% 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: $737 in Phuket versus $651 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 18% 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 $32.00 versus $36.00 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 $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,257 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 4% less than in Herceg Novi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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