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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,050 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,587 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,124 in Mamaia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 17% more than Mamaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Mamaia 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.72 RON 45.11

-54.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$46.54 RON 216

-30.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.75 RON 35.97

15.23%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.56 RON 11.87

13.28%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$1.95 RON 9.04

-54.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$1.71 RON 7.96

-71.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.35 RON 10.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.74 RON 12.73

35.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.52 RON 7.08

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$1.21 RON 5.61

21.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.61 RON 7.48

-3.73%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$3.36 RON 15.58

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$8.33 RON 38.66

135.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.73 RON 31.25

-49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$10.01 RON 46.46

13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$1.14 RON 5.31

161.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.52 RON 7.04

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.62 RON 7.54

36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.13 RON 9.87

1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.82 RON 3.82

85.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$0.89 RON 4.14

50.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$0.88 RON 4.10

28.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.85 RON 3.92

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.72 RON 26.58

-25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$6.17 RON 28.62

209.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.02 RON 4.75

74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$1.62 RON 7.52

71.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

$0.66 RON 3.06

237.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

$19.86 RON 92.2

14.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.78 RON 3.60

288.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$0.76 RON 3.53

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.09 RON 32.90

-45.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.61 RON 7.49

-7.45%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$28.0K RON 130.0K

-5.09%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$26.8K RON 124.4K

0.85%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$149 RON 692

-31.27%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$8.13 RON 37.72

39.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$8.84 RON 41.03

96.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

$41.20 RON 191

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$19.06 RON 88.5

-41.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$6.96 RON 32.33

10.49%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$437 RON 2,027

28.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$6,821 RON 31.7K

68.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$67.4 RON 313

-6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$39.55 RON 184

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$73.8 RON 342

32.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$92.7 RON 430

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$391 RON 1,815

88.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$292 RON 1,357

64.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

$588 RON 2,732

258.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$445 RON 2,064

175.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

$1,866 RON 8,664

93.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,472 RON 6,834

76.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.5

-14.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $391 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $206 in Mamaia – so Mamaia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,050 in Mamaia – roughly 17% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,576 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 15% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $437 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 $1,050, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,050 in Mamaia to $1,232 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.