Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mamaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mamaia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,037 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,555 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,073 in Mamaia, rent included.

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

Both Phuket and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Mamaia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.05 RON 45.70

-55.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$45.29 RON 206

0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.63 RON 34.68

14.81%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.56 RON 11.66

16.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.91 RON 8.70

-63.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.74 RON 7.89

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.29 RON 10.40

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.83 RON 12.84

32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.52 RON 6.90

41.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.26 RON 5.73

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.62 RON 7.38

34.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.30 RON 15.02

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.46 RON 38.45

136.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.81 RON 30.96

-46.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.96 RON 45.29

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.19 RON 5.41

172.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.54 RON 6.99

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.56 RON 7.10

49.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.20 RON 10.01

-5.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.88 RON 3.99

76.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.93 RON 4.24

56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.90 RON 4.09

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.83 RON 3.79

-42.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.98 RON 27.17

-27.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.15 RON 27.96

201.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.01 RON 4.60

84.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.62 RON 7.35

63.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.71 RON 3.24

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$19.81 RON 90.1

-41.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.72 RON 3.27

340.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.72 RON 3.26

43.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.83 RON 31.04

103.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.54 RON 6.99

-12.99%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$28.4K RON 129.3K

-2.30%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.0K RON 122.8K

23.54%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$145 RON 659

-15.08%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$7.94 RON 36.11

73.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$9.23 RON 41.97

98.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$41.76 RON 190

45.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.30 RON 87.7

-11.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.74 RON 30.65

31.60%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$432 RON 1,965

59.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,919 RON 31.5K

128.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$69.0 RON 314

-14.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$40.32 RON 183

-13.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$75.2 RON 342

53.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$95.1 RON 432

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$386 RON 1,753

61.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$286 RON 1,302

55.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$576 RON 2,619

252.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$430 RON 1,954

248.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,920 RON 8,729

79.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,473 RON 6,695

71.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $386 in Mamaia. 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 $45.00 in Mamaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $208 – making Mamaia 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 Mamaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,037 in Mamaia – roughly 22% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,555 in Mamaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 71% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $432 in Mamaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mamaia, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Mamaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,037 in Mamaia to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mamaia. 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.