Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kruje

For one person, living is cheaper in Kruje: $1,022 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Kruje
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Kruje Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Kruje

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,022

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kruje

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kruje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,022 in Kruje.

Phuket $1,278
Kruje $1,022

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,597 in Kruje.

Phuket $2,216
Kruje $1,597

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,173 in Kruje.

Phuket $3,154
Kruje $2,173

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Kruje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kruje 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$9.71 ALL 788

-53.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$38.98 ALL 3,166

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.62 ALL 619

15.62%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$1.85 ALL 150

52.97%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.80 ALL 147

-51.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.64 ALL 52.0

-23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$2.44 ALL 198

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$3.44 ALL 279

6.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.95 ALL 159

-14.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$0.94 ALL 76.3

55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.09 ALL 170

-28.23%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.72 ALL 221

-23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$10.12 ALL 822

88.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.36 ALL 679

-60.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$14.05 ALL 1,141

-22.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$1.98 ALL 161

47.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.24 ALL 182

-24.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.70 ALL 138

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.64 ALL 133

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.03 ALL 83.4

46.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.23 ALL 100

12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$1.14 ALL 92.3

-6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.79 ALL 63.8

-34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.37 ALL 355

-3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$8.05 ALL 654

133.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.57 ALL 127

15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.83 ALL 148

55.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$0.44 ALL 35.33

229.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$19.62 ALL 1,594

188.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.77 ALL 307

-19.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$3.72 ALL 302

-72.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$18.21 ALL 1,479

-79.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$2.27 ALL 184

-35.24%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$33.8K ALL 2.7M

-20.76%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$24.6K ALL 2.0M

8.41%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$62.8 ALL 5,102

53.40%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$16.57 ALL 1,346

-32.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$17.05 ALL 1,384

-1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$54.0 ALL 4,389

24.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$8.52 ALL 692

-11.97%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$99.5 ALL 8,083

378.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$8,435 ALL 685.1K

33.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$48.98 ALL 3,978

27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$47.73 ALL 3,877

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$99.5 ALL 8,084

-5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$111 ALL 9,029

-22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$539 ALL 43.8K

32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$273 ALL 22.1K

80.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$796 ALL 64.6K

142.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$441 ALL 35.8K

224.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$2,198 ALL 178.5K

89.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,429 ALL 116.1K

113.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$677 ALL 55.0K

-25.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kruje: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Kruje

$273 26.7% 44.5% $218

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Kruje

$248 24.3% 6.9% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Kruje

$96 9.4% 22.5% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kruje

$138 13.5% 13.5% $16

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kruje

$152 14.8% 24.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Kruje

$71 7% 13.6% $11

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Kruje

$44 4.3% 38% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $539 in Kruje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kruje pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $39 in Kruje. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $248, with Kruje cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇱 Kruje

🕒 Local time

19:27 7:27 PM

13:27 1:27 PM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

59,814

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.64 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Kruje 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kruje

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kruje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,022 in Kruje, so Kruje is about 20% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $539 in Kruje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,022 in Kruje – Kruje is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Kruje runs roughly 65% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Kruje gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.