Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugavcina Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugavcina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,016 in Lugavcina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,491 in Lugavcina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,967 in Lugavcina, rent included.

Phuket costs about 24% more than Lugavcina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lugavcina are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Lugavcina 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.99 RSD 711

-35.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.95 RSD 2,741

69.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$10.12 RSD 1,029

-13.44%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.00 RSD 204

48.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.86 RSD 189

-62.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.22 RSD 124

-68.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.49 RSD 254

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.91 RSD 296

28.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.28 RSD 130

67.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.67 RSD 68.3

171.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.24 RSD 126

75.81%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.80 RSD 183

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.07 RSD 719

182.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.92 RSD 704

-47.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.92 RSD 1,212

13.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.76 RSD 77.5

326.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.64 RSD 167

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.51 RSD 154

54.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.76 RSD 179

17.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.75 RSD 76.5

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.14 RSD 116

28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.55 RSD 56.0

78.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 RSD 58.4

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.09 RSD 416

6.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.68 RSD 578

226.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.74 RSD 74.8

151.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.10 RSD 213

26.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.93 RSD 94.8

52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$28.20 RSD 2,869

-58.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.44 RSD 147

120.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.45 RSD 45.98

128.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.11 RSD 723

95.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.82 RSD 185

-26.37%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

-10.34%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

24.33%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$141 RSD 14.4K

-12.95%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.14 RSD 1,743

-19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$17.05 RSD 1,734

7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$30.39 RSD 3,091

99.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$16.77 RSD 1,706

2.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.06 RSD 515

75.30%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$232 RSD 23.6K

196.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,155 RSD 524.3K

206.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$89.8 RSD 9,131

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$47.20 RSD 4,800

-26.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$94.0 RSD 9,555

22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$103 RSD 10.5K

-18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$376 RSD 38.3K

65.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$300 RSD 30.6K

48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$566 RSD 57.6K

259.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$419 RSD 42.6K

257.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,374 RSD 241.5K

45.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,707 RSD 173.6K

48.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.45

-28.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lugavcina: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $376 in Lugavcina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Lugavcina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $185 – making Lugavcina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lugavcina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 24% more than Lugavcina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,524 in Lugavcina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lugavcina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $232 in Lugavcina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugavcina, where all-in costs run around $1,016, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Lugavcina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lugavcina costs $1,016 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lugavcina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.