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 $1,045 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,599 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,153 in Mamaia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 18% more than Mamaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mamaia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$9.81 RON 42.77

-52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$46.66 RON 203

0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.04 RON 35.07

9.95%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.56 RON 11.17

17.19%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.91 RON 8.31

-61.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.73 RON 7.54

-78.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.29 RON 9.97

6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.78 RON 12.11

29.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.52 RON 6.64

48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.22 RON 5.30

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.67 RON 7.29

34.13%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.33 RON 14.51

-30.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.60 RON 37.48

128.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.57 RON 28.64

-44.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.75 RON 42.53

34.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.18 RON 5.12

187.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.53 RON 6.69

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.55 RON 6.77

55.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.11 RON 9.20

-3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.81 RON 3.54

92.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.90 RON 3.92

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.88 RON 3.84

15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.83 RON 3.64

-40.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.92 RON 25.81

-24.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.21 RON 27.09

204.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.02 RON 4.46

74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.69 RON 7.37

62.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.72 RON 3.14

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$19.66 RON 85.7

-41.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.76 RON 3.30

310.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.71 RON 3.11

40.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.75 RON 29.43

108.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.62 RON 7.07

-16.67%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$27.9K RON 121.5K

-2.47%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.1K RON 118.3K

21.30%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$144 RON 629

-13.43%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$7.88 RON 34.37

72.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$8.93 RON 38.94

107.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$41.39 RON 180

48.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$19.09 RON 83.2

-11.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.89 RON 30.03

33.38%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$427 RON 1,862

63.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,823 RON 29.7K

128.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$67.6 RON 295

-14.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$39.61 RON 173

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$75.4 RON 329

49.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$94.3 RON 411

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$383 RON 1,668

60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$287 RON 1,252

55.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$598 RON 2,607

242.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$446 RON 1,943

234.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,910 RON 8,329

97.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,486 RON 6,479

78.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $383 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $292 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, $1,045 in Mamaia – roughly 18% 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 $1,568 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 $698 per month in Phuket and $427 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 $1,045, 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 $1,045 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.