Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlovac Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlovac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,234 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,857 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,480 in Karlovac.

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than Karlovac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Karlovac 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$12.81 €11.02

-63.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$46.57 €40.06

-2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.15 €7.01

3.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.94 €1.67

51.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.40 €2.06

-71.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.36 €1.17

-72.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.30 €1.98

4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.33 €2.00

59.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.14 €0.98

95.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.15 €0.99

59.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.90 €1.63

14.21%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.48 €2.99

-36.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.10 €8.68

95.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.77 €10.13

-69.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.07 €12.10

-3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.75 €1.51

87.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.06 €1.77

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.72 €1.48

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.07 €1.78

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.61 €1.38

-4.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.05 €0.91

40.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.79 €1.54

-44.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.02 €0.87

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.37 €4.62

-17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.78 €5.83

185.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.78 €1.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.64 €2.27

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.81 €1.56

-24.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$43.56 €37.47

-73.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.03 €2.61

-0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.38 €1.19

-28.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.20 €7.91

53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.72 €1.48

-20.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$37.4K €32.2K

-24.57%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.6K €22.1K

28.32%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$187 €161

-34.85%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$22.91 €19.71

-40.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$32.65 €28.09

-43.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$34.64 €29.80

73.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.78 €12.72

15.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.41 €5.52

35.57%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$243 €209

185.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,397 €1,202

1022.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$106 €91.3

-43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.57 €29.74

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$70.5 €60.6

62.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$76.7 €66.0

8.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$419 €360

46.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$333 €287

31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$647 €557

223.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$474 €408

218.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,965 €2,550

26.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,550 €2,193

2.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,440 €1,239

-64.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.47

19.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $419 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlovac pays 183% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Karlovac. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $268, with Karlovac 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 Karlovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Karlovac earns 183% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $419 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,234 in Karlovac – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 282% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,234 in Karlovac versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovac but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karlovac 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 Karlovac 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 Karlovac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.