Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kavadarci Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kavadarci

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $781 in Kavadarci, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,213 in Kavadarci, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,644 in Kavadarci, rent included.

Phuket costs about 62% more than Kavadarci, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kavadarci are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Kavadarci 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.48 MKD 293

-18.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$24.86 MKD 1,329

83.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$3.51 MKD 188

149.57%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.43 MKD 76.4

107.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.11 MKD 59.5

-37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.75 MKD 40.08

-48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.63 MKD 87.3

55.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.32 MKD 124

61.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.40 MKD 74.8

53.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.72 MKD 38.55

152.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.62 MKD 86.5

34.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.08 MKD 111

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.41 MKD 396

169.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.08 MKD 379

-48.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.71 MKD 572

26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.62 MKD 33.32

422.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.42 MKD 75.9

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.99 MKD 52.8

135.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.57 MKD 83.9

31.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.98 MKD 52.4

58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.25 MKD 67.1

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.57 MKD 30.70

71.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.38 MKD 20.42

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.98 MKD 159

45.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.21 MKD 225

341.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.95 MKD 50.9

95.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.34 MKD 71.8

97.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.84 MKD 44.70

69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$20.40 MKD 1,090

-43.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.14 MKD 61.1

178.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.52 MKD 27.83

98.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.78 MKD 202

267.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.48 MKD 79.2

-9.46%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

-12.59%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

32.67%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$89.3 MKD 4,771

37.84%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.71 MKD 947

-22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.31 MKD 818

19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$26.69 MKD 1,426

127.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.59 MKD 245

93.25%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$216 MKD 11.6K

217.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,185 MKD 63.3K

1231.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$76.3 MKD 4,078

-22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$45.87 MKD 2,451

-24.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$74.9 MKD 4,002

53.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$115 MKD 6,131

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$281 MKD 15.0K

121.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$196 MKD 10.4K

128.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$554 MKD 29.6K

267.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$306 MKD 16.4K

388.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,606 MKD 85.8K

115.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,237 MKD 66.1K

104.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$590 MKD 31.5K

-16.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.1

-24.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kavadarci: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $281 in Kavadarci. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Kavadarci, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kavadarci. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $177 – making Kavadarci the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kavadarci: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,172 in Kavadarci. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kavadarci, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $781 in Kavadarci. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Kavadarci. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kavadarci, where all-in costs run around $781, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Kavadarci it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kavadarci – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kavadarci. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.