Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugoj Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugoj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $827 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,272 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,717 in Lugoj.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than in Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Lugoj 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.14 RON 46.45

-56.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$35.09 RON 161

-8.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$5.35 RON 24.49

66.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.93 RON 8.82

50.26%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.63 RON 7.48

-46.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.50 RON 6.86

-68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.18 RON 10.01

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.12 RON 9.72

75.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.75 RON 8.00

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.97 RON 4.46

51.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.65 RON 2.96

138.46%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.35 RON 6.17

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$3.59 RON 16.44

445.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.06 RON 18.60

-15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$4.46 RON 20.44

155.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.08 RON 4.95

175.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.34 RON 6.14

25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.80 RON 8.23

22.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$0.64 RON 2.95

237.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.64 RON 2.93

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.68 RON 3.12

97.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.01 RON 4.62

11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.65 RON 2.97

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.09 RON 23.32

-16.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$4.30 RON 19.70

343.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.34 RON 6.13

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.81 RON 8.27

53.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.63 RON 2.91

253.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$22.13 RON 101

2.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.96 RON 4.40

215.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.01 RON 4.65

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.82 RON 40.38

-55.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.97 RON 9.03

-24.37%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-10.77%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$25.6K RON 117.4K

5.45%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$53.9 RON 247

90.29%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$8.69 RON 39.82

30.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$10.10 RON 46.25

72.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$22.04 RON 101

136.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$26.58 RON 122

-58.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$9.86 RON 45.19

-22.01%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$618 RON 2,831

-9.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$10.1K RON 46.4K

13.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$94.8 RON 434

-33.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$47.73 RON 219

-38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$105 RON 482

-6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$113 RON 516

-21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$191 RON 877

285.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$221 RON 1,013

118.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$334 RON 1,529

531.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$328 RON 1,502

273.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,371 RON 6,281

163.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,082 RON 4,955

140.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$960 RON 4,398

-48.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.8

-18.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $191 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugoj pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Lugoj. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $137, with Lugoj 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 Lugoj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Lugoj differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $827 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 94% lower in Lugoj. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $191 in Lugoj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $827 in Lugoj – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 3% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $827 in Lugoj versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lugoj but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lugoj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Lugoj are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lugoj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.