🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Ioannina.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,982 in Ioannina.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,641 in Ioannina.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Ioannina, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Ioannina2% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$17.15€14.78
-73.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$34.05€29.33
36.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$9.57€8.25
-11.49%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$3.80€3.28
-20.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$2.28€1.96
-69.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.60€0.51
-38.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$4.49€3.87
-44.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$5.84€5.03
-37.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.49€1.28
46.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.19€1.03
59.66%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$2.38€2.05
-7.56%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.28€2.83
-32.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$10.60€9.13
88.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$8.01€6.90
-54.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$10.84€9.34
22.23%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.01€1.73
60.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.95€1.68
-12.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.20€1.03
99.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.42€2.09
-14.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.19€1.03
33.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.07€0.92
38.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.02€0.88
0.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.86€0.74
-39.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$5.20€4.48
-18.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.89€5.93
172.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$2.01€1.73
-12.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.80€2.41
-1.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.58€1.36
-13.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$35.29€30.41
-67.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$4.52€3.89
-30.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$7.01€6.04
96.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$2.10€1.81
-36.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$24.9K€21.5K
11.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.6K€22.9K
27.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$219€189
-43.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$20.73€17.86
-34.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$31.09€26.79
-39.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$46.65€40.19
32.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$46.10€39.72
-62.58%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$9.53€8.21
-4.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$342€295
105.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$8,298€7,150
91.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$69.5€59.9
-14.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$37.94€32.69
-7.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$77.6€66.9
48.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$116€100
-27.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$408€352
51.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$313€269
38.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$688€593
199.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$560€483
169.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,068€2,644
18.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$2,551€2,198
2.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ioannina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$1,125€969
-54.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.68
13.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Ioannina: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $408 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ioannina pays 122% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $242 per month, with Ioannina 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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Ioannina?
Phuket and Ioannina differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,322 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, Ioannina earns 122% less. 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 Ioannina?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $408 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Ioannina?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $342 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Ioannina pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Ioannina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ioannina. 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 Ioannina?
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 Ioannina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ioannina 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 Ioannina?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ioannina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.