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: $1,242 in Phuket versus $917 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,416 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,916 in Lugoj.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Lugoj 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿153

$9.64 RON 43.89

-52.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 ฿1,158

$35.47 RON 161

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 ฿285

$5.53 RON 25.16

54.97%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ฿93.6

$1.82 RON 8.27

54.95%

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

$0.78 ฿25.85

$1.61 RON 7.33

-51.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.81

$1.53 RON 6.96

-68.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿80.5

$2.13 RON 9.72

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$2.04 RON 9.30

81.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.4

$1.72 RON 7.83

4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.69

$1.00 RON 4.57

41.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.0

$0.68 RON 3.10

135.29%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿73.2

$1.36 RON 6.19

61.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.64 ฿653

$3.48 RON 15.86

464.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿116

$4.28 RON 19.47

-18.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿374

$4.41 RON 20.07

154.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿95.1

$1.12 RON 5.09

155.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.9

$1.35 RON 6.16

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿76.7

$1.77 RON 8.08

30.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿69.7

$0.69 RON 3.14

204.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.10

$0.69 RON 3.15

114.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.71

$0.68 RON 3.11

98.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

$1.02 RON 4.64

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.15

$0.69 RON 3.13

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿143

$5.00 RON 22.77

-13.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿621

$4.48 RON 20.38

316.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.4

$1.34 RON 6.08

33.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿92.1

$1.80 RON 8.18

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 ฿72.6

$0.74 RON 3.37

195.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿763

$21.16 RON 96.3

8.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.95 RON 4.33

218.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.85

$0.95 RON 4.32

7.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ฿130

$8.69 RON 39.58

-55.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.45

$1.90 RON 8.66

-24.74%

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

$27.2K ฿904.2K

$29.4K RON 133.9K

-7.49%

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

$26.9K ฿893.1K

$25.7K RON 117.0K

4.56%

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

$102 ฿3,396

$55.0 RON 250

85.89%

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

$10.95 ฿364

$8.69 RON 39.58

26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 ฿567

$9.53 RON 43.37

79.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ฿1,768

$40.63 RON 185

30.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ฿369

$22.27 RON 101

-50.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿260

$9.85 RON 44.83

-20.61%

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

$552 ฿18.3K

$611 RON 2,780

-9.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿379.8K

$9,972 RON 45.4K

14.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,072

$94.2 RON 429

-33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ฿963

$48.73 RON 222

-40.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,244

$103 RON 469

-5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ฿2,935

$112 RON 509

-20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ฿24.8K

$191 RON 872

289.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.0K

$301 RON 1,371

59.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿70.2K

$632 RON 2,877

234.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.7K

$472 RON 2,149

153.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿118.9K

$1,745 RON 7,944

105.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿85.6K

$1,248 RON 5,680

106.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ฿16.9K

$957 RON 4,355

-46.82%

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: August 3, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Phuket and $191 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugoj pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Lugoj. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $140, 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,242 vs $917 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 88% 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: $746 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 $1,242 per month in Phuket versus $917 in Lugoj – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 9% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $917 in Lugoj versus $1,242 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 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.