Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kicevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kicevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $898 in Kicevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,324 in Kicevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,749 in Kicevo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than Kicevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kicevo 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.15 MKD 220

9.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$19.10 MKD 1,014

144.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.63 MKD 246

82.94%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.11 MKD 58.8

172.97%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.28 MKD 67.8

-46.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.54 MKD 28.65

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.85 MKD 98.2

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.87 MKD 152

27.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.28 MKD 68.2

70.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.83 MKD 44.02

128.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.68 MKD 89.0

30.95%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.17 MKD 115

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.12 MKD 484

119.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.05 MKD 427

-54.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.87 MKD 736

-4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.01 MKD 53.5

219.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.41 MKD 74.7

20.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.36 MKD 71.9

75.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.05 MKD 109

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.88 MKD 46.55

80.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.94 MKD 49.66

57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.72 MKD 38.40

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.54 MKD 28.90

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.14 MKD 167

35.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.75 MKD 305

226.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.07 MKD 56.7

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.56 MKD 83.0

76.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.68 MKD 36.18

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$20.23 MKD 1,073

-43.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.96 MKD 50.9

227.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.53 MKD 28.21

96.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.62 MKD 404

80.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.53 MKD 81.0

-12.42%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-16.98%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$30.2K MKD 1.6M

12.31%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$159 MKD 8,454

-22.44%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.28 MKD 970

-26.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$19.24 MKD 1,021

-2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$25.98 MKD 1,379

137.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.63 MKD 352

37.86%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$312 MKD 16.6K

125.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,201 MKD 63.7K

1221.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$77.2 MKD 4,098

-23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$40.36 MKD 2,141

-13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$98.8 MKD 5,242

16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$111 MKD 5,912

-24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$282 MKD 15.0K

119.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$195 MKD 10.3K

122.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$575 MKD 30.5K

258.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$312 MKD 16.5K

384.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,617 MKD 85.8K

125.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,259 MKD 66.8K

108.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$595 MKD 31.6K

-14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.54

17.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kicevo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $282 in Kicevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kicevo pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Kicevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $209 per month, with Kicevo 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 Kicevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kicevo differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $898 including rent). Kicevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kicevo earns 17% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $282 in Kicevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $898 in Kicevo – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kicevo runs roughly 78% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $898 in Kicevo versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kicevo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kicevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kicevo 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 Kicevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.