Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kumanovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Kumanovo: $789 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kumanovo, North Macedonia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kumanovo
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$789
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kumanovo

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 Kumanovo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $789 in Kumanovo, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Kumanovo $789

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,158 in Kumanovo, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Kumanovo $1,158

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,527 in Kumanovo, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Kumanovo $1,527

Phuket costs about 62% more than Kumanovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Kumanovo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kumanovo 42% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$6.28 MKD 346
-28.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$27.55 MKD 1,518
17.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$6.58 MKD 363
33.89%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$1.40 MKD 77.1
102.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$1.33 MKD 73.2
-34.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$1.08 MKD 59.5
-54.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$1.53 MKD 84.6
67.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$1.69 MKD 93.2
117.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.22 MKD 67.4
36.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$0.69 MKD 37.79
111.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.76 MKD 96.9
-14.77%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.44 MKD 134
-14.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$7.82 MKD 431
143.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$7.42 MKD 409
-55.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$11.15 MKD 615
-2.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$0.95 MKD 52.2
208.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.39 MKD 76.9
21.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.32 MKD 72.6
70.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$1.79 MKD 98.6
16.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.87 MKD 48.15
73.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$0.83 MKD 45.92
66.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$0.52 MKD 28.85
105.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.59 MKD 32.56
-11.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.02 MKD 167
39.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.18 MKD 396
161.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.06 MKD 58.3
71.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.01 MKD 55.7
181.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.11 MKD 61.3
172.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$0.61 MKD 33.72
67.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$5.94 MKD 327
-37.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.39 MKD 76.9
5.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$34.2K MKD 1.9M
-21.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$26.9K MKD 1.5M
-0.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$128 MKD 7,063
-24.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$17.00 MKD 937
-33.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$19.24 MKD 1,061
-12.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$27.92 MKD 1,539
140.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$18.05 MKD 995
-40.55%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$5.41 MKD 298
38.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$363 MKD 20.0K
31.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$5,672 MKD 312.6K
98.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$41.89 MKD 2,309
48.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$19.91 MKD 1,098
42.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$82.6 MKD 4,551
14.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$48.33 MKD 2,664
77.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$241 MKD 13.3K
196.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$195 MKD 10.7K
151.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$410 MKD 22.6K
369.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$249 MKD 13.7K
475.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$1,614 MKD 89.0K
158.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$1,453 MKD 80.1K
109.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kumanovo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$556 MKD 30.6K
-9.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4
39.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Kumanovo
$195 60.3% $296
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Kumanovo
$192 27.8% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Kumanovo
$164 32.1% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Kumanovo
$87 28.9% $35
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Kumanovo
$107 11.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Kumanovo
$39 52.9% $43
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Kumanovo
$4.2 * 94.1% $66

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $241 in Kumanovo. 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 11% higher in Kumanovo, 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 $32 in Phuket versus $28 in Kumanovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $192 – making Kumanovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇰 Kumanovo
🕒 Local time
04:35 4:35 AM
22:35 10:35 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
75,051
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 55.12 MKD (100 MKD = 1.81 USD). 1 EUR = 61.36 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kumanovo 8,320 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kumanovo

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 Kumanovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Kumanovo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $789 in Kumanovo – Kumanovo comes out roughly 38% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Kumanovo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,183 in Kumanovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Kumanovo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kumanovo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $241 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Kumanovo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $789 in Kumanovo. That makes Kumanovo about 38% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Kumanovo?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $363 in Kumanovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kumanovo, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Kumanovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Phuket or Kumanovo?
Families tend to lean toward Kumanovo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Phuket or Kumanovo safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?