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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,043 in Mangalia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,571 in Mangalia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,099 in Mangalia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 21% more than Mangalia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mangalia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mangalia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$10.04 RON 45.44

-54.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$41.90 RON 190

11.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.67 RON 34.71

10.43%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.64 RON 11.95

14.77%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.99 RON 9.01

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.86 RON 8.41

-80.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.35 RON 10.65

5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.46 RON 15.65

5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.39 RON 6.30

56.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.05 RON 4.77

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.69 RON 7.64

30.18%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.24 RON 14.64

-31.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.57 RON 38.75

133.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.22 RON 32.66

-49.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.36 RON 42.34

41.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.18 RON 5.32

173.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.47 RON 6.66

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.34 RON 6.07

78.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.97 RON 8.93

5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.77 RON 3.47

106.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.95 RON 4.31

55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.76 RON 3.43

35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.81 RON 3.66

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.86 RON 26.53

-27.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.08 RON 32.01

165.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.96 RON 4.33

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.37 RON 6.21

101.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.66 RON 2.98

106.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$20.06 RON 90.8

-43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.68 RON 3.07

361.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.60 RON 2.72

73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.65 RON 25.57

143.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.55 RON 7.03

-13.55%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$25.3K RON 114.4K

9.42%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.0K RON 122.1K

25.48%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$144 RON 651

-14.13%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$6.74 RON 30.50

100.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$9.76 RON 44.16

91.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$40.92 RON 185

51.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$19.23 RON 87.0

-10.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.11 RON 32.18

28.55%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$421 RON 1,904

66.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,811 RON 30.8K

133.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$82.9 RON 375

-28.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$43.27 RON 196

-18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$73.7 RON 333

56.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$100 RON 452

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$383 RON 1,731

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$292 RON 1,322

47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$586 RON 2,652

251.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$440 RON 1,988

243.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,724 RON 7,800

111.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,171 RON 5,297

124.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$781 RON 3,533

-35.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.62

-19.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $383 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $42.00 in Mangalia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $203 – making Mangalia 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 Mangalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,043 in Mangalia – roughly 21% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,565 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 77% less in Mangalia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $421 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 $1,043, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,043 in Mangalia to $1,261 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.