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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,001 in Lugavcina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,477 in Lugavcina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,953 in Lugavcina, rent included.

Phuket costs about 22% more than Lugavcina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lugavcina are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Lugavcina 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$6.70 RSD 681

-32.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$27.01 RSD 2,743

72.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$9.77 RSD 992

-13.10%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.98 RSD 201

55.56%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$1.87 RSD 190

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$1.22 RSD 124

-70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$2.53 RSD 257

-3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.94 RSD 299

23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.30 RSD 132

68.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.67 RSD 67.5

170.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.25 RSD 127

78.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.82 RSD 184

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$6.77 RSD 687

189.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.88 RSD 699

-45.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$11.96 RSD 1,214

12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$0.82 RSD 82.8

309.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.69 RSD 172

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.46 RSD 148

65.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.77 RSD 180

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.77 RSD 77.9

98.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.08 RSD 110

34.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.60 RSD 60.5

68.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.60 RSD 61.2

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.03 RSD 409

5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$6.46 RSD 656

195.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$0.74 RSD 75.2

148.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.04 RSD 207

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.91 RSD 92.7

56.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

$28.12 RSD 2,856

-58.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.52 RSD 154

97.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.43 RSD 43.34

144.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$6.82 RSD 693

103.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.80 RSD 183

-28.33%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$31.1K RSD 3.2M

-9.94%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

26.30%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$137 RSD 13.9K

-11.14%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$16.99 RSD 1,725

-18.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$16.90 RSD 1,716

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$30.70 RSD 3,117

99.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$16.78 RSD 1,704

0.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$4.86 RSD 493

82.92%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$233 RSD 23.6K

197.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$5,051 RSD 512.9K

219.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$91.1 RSD 9,247

-36.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$46.39 RSD 4,711

-23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$93.4 RSD 9,487

21.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$100 RSD 10.2K

-17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$375 RSD 38.1K

61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$296 RSD 30.1K

51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$562 RSD 57.1K

260.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$416 RSD 42.2K

259.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$2,045 RSD 207.6K

75.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$1,600 RSD 162.5K

61.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Lugavcina: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $375 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Lugavcina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $186 – 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 22% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,501 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 $691 per month in Phuket and $233 in Lugavcina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $1,001, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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 $1,001 versus $1,223 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.