😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,162 in Kragujevac.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,746 in Kragujevac.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,330 in Kragujevac.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 9% more expensive than Kragujevac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Kragujevac14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$8.72RSD 882
-47.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$42.69RSD 4,317
9.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$9.97RSD 1,008
-15.05%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.99RSD 201
52.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$2.30RSD 233
-70.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.30RSD 132
-71.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$2.45RSD 248
1.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$3.53RSD 357
3.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.38RSD 139
57.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.61RSD 61.9
211.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.90RSD 193
15.79%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.60RSD 263
-14.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$9.16RSD 926
118.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$6.83RSD 690
-46.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$11.63RSD 1,176
13.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.35RSD 137
139.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.91RSD 193
-10.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.76RSD 178
35.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.24RSD 227
-7.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.12RSD 113
41.96%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.21RSD 122
22.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.04RSD 106
-0.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.71RSD 72.1
-26.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$4.18RSD 423
1.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$7.63RSD 772
146.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$0.96RSD 96.7
83.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.14RSD 217
28.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.95RSD 96.3
43.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$29.27RSD 2,960
-61.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$1.05RSD 106
199.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.63RSD 63.6
65.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$5.02RSD 508
174.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.81RSD 183
-25.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$30.5KRSD 3.1M
-9.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.7KRSD 2.7M
26.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$177RSD 17.9K
-30.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$21.65RSD 2,190
-37.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$33.19RSD 3,356
-43.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$30.81RSD 3,116
100.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$20.71RSD 2,095
-16.71%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$6.73RSD 680
35.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$179RSD 18.1K
292.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$3,907RSD 395.1K
306.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$63.7RSD 6,437
-6.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$56.4RSD 5,707
-37.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$116RSD 11.7K
-0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$119RSD 12.0K
-29.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$422RSD 42.7K
46.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$318RSD 32.2K
35.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$684RSD 69.2K
201.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$499RSD 50.5K
202.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$2,238RSD 226.3K
62.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,663RSD 168.2K
57.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kragujevac
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$963RSD 97.3K
-47.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Kragujevac: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $422 in Kragujevac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kragujevac pays 90% 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 $43.00 in Kragujevac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $214 per month, with Kragujevac 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 Kragujevac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Kragujevac?
Kragujevac wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kragujevac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Kragujevac?
On paper, Kragujevac earns 90% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Kragujevac?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $422 in Kragujevac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Kragujevac?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,162 in Kragujevac – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Kragujevac?
A monthly transit pass in Kragujevac runs roughly 158% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Kragujevac?
At $1,162 in Kragujevac versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kragujevac but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kragujevac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Kragujevac?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kragujevac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,162 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kragujevac hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Kragujevac?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kragujevac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kragujevac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.