Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iernut Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iernut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $963 in Iernut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,481 in Iernut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,999 in Iernut.

Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than in Iernut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Iernut 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$9.09 RON 41.02

-49.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,070

$45.26 RON 204

-27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿292

$7.75 RON 34.99

14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.0

$2.32 RON 10.48

20.69%

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

$0.88 ฿28.88

$1.56 RON 7.04

-43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.05

$1.31 RON 5.89

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.4

$2.27 RON 10.27

5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.41 RON 10.90

53.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$1.45 RON 6.54

23.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.30

$1.19 RON 5.37

21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.0

$1.49 RON 6.72

6.04%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.8

$3.12 RON 14.08

-31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿654

$8.43 RON 38.06

136.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.12 RON 27.61

-43.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.84 RON 48.94

4.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.8

$1.05 RON 4.73

180.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.5

$1.33 RON 6.02

29.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.3

$1.48 RON 6.69

56.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$1.98 RON 8.96

5.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.76 RON 3.42

93.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.56

$0.54 RON 2.42

151.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$0.87 RON 3.94

26.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.85

$0.76 RON 3.43

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.25 RON 28.23

-31.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿604

$6.78 RON 30.60

171.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.4

$1.09 RON 4.90

71.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿95.8

$1.64 RON 7.40

78.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.8

$0.76 RON 3.41

192.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿751

$22.58 RON 102

1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$0.66 RON 2.98

359.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.24

$0.67 RON 3.00

59.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$6.78 RON 30.61

-42.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.95

$1.84 RON 8.33

-19.02%

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

$27.1K ฿890.1K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-8.91%

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

$27.5K ฿900.7K

$27.6K RON 124.5K

-0.48%

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

$103 ฿3,373

$106 RON 481

-3.42%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$8.69 RON 39.25

26.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿575

$8.47 RON 38.22

106.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,756

$40.39 RON 182

32.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿367

$21.25 RON 95.9

-47.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.76 RON 30.53

10.65%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$453 RON 2,045

22.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿388.9K

$7,385 RON 33.3K

60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,102

$52.2 RON 236

22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿954

$31.99 RON 144

-9.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,148

$79.4 RON 359

20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,964

$81.5 RON 368

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$410 RON 1,851

78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$306 RON 1,382

63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.6K

$634 RON 2,863

229.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$467 RON 2,108

158.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.0K

$1,983 RON 8,951

81.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.4K

$1,400 RON 6,321

79.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Iernut: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $410 in Iernut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Iernut. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $200, with Iernut cheaper for home cooking.

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 Iernut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iernut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,444 in Iernut to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $410 in Iernut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Iernut – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $963 in Iernut – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $963 in Iernut versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iernut but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Iernut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iernut is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Iernut 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 Iernut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.