🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,283 in Kretinga.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,046 in Kretinga.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,808 in Kretinga.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Kretinga, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Kretinga5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$11.40€9.88
-60.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,535
$70.7€61.3
-34.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿279
$7.14€6.19
18.63%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿99.7
$3.04€2.64
-0.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.69
$2.12€1.84
-67.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$2.02€1.75
-81.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.9
$5.24€4.54
-52.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$5.27€4.57
-30.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.8
$1.39€1.20
56.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.6
$1.56€1.36
21.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿72.4
$2.07€1.79
6.28%
Eggs
$2.22฿73.2
$2.75€2.38
-19.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿658
$10.47€9.08
90.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿121
$5.21€4.52
-29.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿436
$9.76€8.46
35.76%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$1.37€1.18
135.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.9
$1.65€1.43
3.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.8
$1.79€1.55
33.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.17€2.75
-34.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.4
$0.75€0.65
112.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.83
$0.93€0.81
59.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.90
$1.60€1.38
-35.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.01
$0.82€0.71
-36.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿140
$5.41€4.69
-21.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿618
$8.69€7.53
116.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.8
$1.66€1.44
6.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.8
$1.78€1.55
55.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.79
$1.17€1.02
16.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿374
$34.19€29.63
-66.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$3.13€2.71
0.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿34.10
$1.12€0.97
-7.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿453
$13.62€11.81
1.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.26
$1.57€1.36
-14.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿911.1K
$34.1K€29.5K
-18.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$29.1K€25.2K
16.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,069
$212€184
-41.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿445
$14.17€12.28
-4.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿615
$14.90€12.91
25.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,035
$42.02€36.42
47.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿568
$22.71€19.69
-24.04%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿301
$9.37€8.12
-2.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.1K
$456€395
54.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿522.5K
$9,369€8,120
69.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,958
$86.7€75.2
-31.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,154
$41.47€35.94
-15.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,795
$84.8€73.5
35.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,767
$133€116
-36.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.4K
$543€470
13.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.2K
$357€310
21.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.9K
$844€732
144.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.7K
$652€565
131.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿120.0K
$3,410€2,955
6.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿86.4K
$1,828€1,584
43.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kretinga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.7K
$1,156€1,002
-56.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.13
29.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Kretinga: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $543 in Kretinga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kretinga pays 128% 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 $71.0 in Kretinga. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $225, with Kretinga 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 Kretinga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kretinga cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Kretinga?
On paper, Kretinga earns 128% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Kretinga?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $543 in Kretinga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 201% less than in Kretinga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $456 in Kretinga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Kretinga?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,283 in Kretinga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kretinga. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Kretinga more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kretinga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Kretinga?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kretinga 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kretinga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.