Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mangalia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mangalia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,111 in Mangalia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,710 in Mangalia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,309 in Mangalia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Mangalia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Mangalia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Mangalia 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$12.16 RON 55.7

-63.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$49.26 RON 226

-34.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.07 RON 36.97

10.66%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.15 RON 14.44

-7.94%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$2.14 RON 9.82

-58.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$2.25 RON 10.30

-78.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.58 RON 11.81

-8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.47 RON 15.90

7.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.69 RON 7.74

10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.22 RON 5.59

20.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.63 RON 7.44

-4.91%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$3.26 RON 14.94

-35.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$7.89 RON 36.15

148.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.89 RON 31.58

-50.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$10.05 RON 46.02

13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.36 RON 6.22

119.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.80 RON 8.22

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.51 RON 6.92

46.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.03 RON 9.31

6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.82 RON 3.74

85.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.74 RON 3.37

81.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.71 RON 3.26

59.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.84 RON 3.84

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.62 RON 30.31

-35.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$6.98 RON 31.97

173.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.04 RON 4.76

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.47 RON 6.73

89.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.68 RON 3.12

227.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$22.51 RON 103

1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.68 RON 3.13

345.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.68 RON 3.12

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.76 RON 30.95

-42.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.88 RON 8.63

-20.74%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$29.0K RON 132.8K

-8.34%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$25.9K RON 118.6K

4.36%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$163 RON 747

-37.15%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$6.54 RON 29.96

73.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$9.33 RON 42.74

86.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$39.71 RON 182

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$22.39 RON 103

-50.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.94 RON 40.96

-13.98%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$415 RON 1,903

34.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$6,106 RON 28.0K

88.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$77.8 RON 356

-18.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$45.17 RON 207

-34.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$94.3 RON 432

3.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$102 RON 466

-12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$403 RON 1,848

82.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$330 RON 1,511

46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$672 RON 3,080

213.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$406 RON 1,859

202.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,903 RON 8,716

90.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,535 RON 7,030

69.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$762 RON 3,489

-35.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.85

-29.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $403 in Mangalia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Mangalia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $49.00 in Mangalia. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $210 in Mangalia – so Mangalia 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 Mangalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,111 in Mangalia – roughly 11% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,666 in Mangalia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Mangalia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $415 in Mangalia. 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 Mangalia, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Mangalia 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 $1,111 in Mangalia 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 Mangalia. 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.