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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,052 in Mangalia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,599 in Mangalia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,146 in Mangalia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 20% more than Mangalia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mangalia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Mangalia 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.94 RON 45.21

-54.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$42.73 RON 194

6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.94 RON 36.11

10.33%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.59 RON 11.77

14.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.00 RON 9.11

-65.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.88 RON 8.54

-79.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.28 RON 10.38

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.49 RON 15.86

7.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.35 RON 6.14

59.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.05 RON 4.78

73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.71 RON 7.79

27.49%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.23 RON 14.68

-30.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.51 RON 38.70

135.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.22 RON 32.81

-49.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.96 RON 40.74

51.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.20 RON 5.46

170.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.42 RON 6.44

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.30 RON 5.90

79.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.98 RON 9.02

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.79 RON 3.61

96.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.90 RON 4.11

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.69 RON 3.15

42.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.79 RON 3.59

-39.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.88 RON 26.72

-26.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.68 RON 30.36

177.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.96 RON 4.37

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.36 RON 6.20

94.85%

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

$19.53 RON 88.8

-40.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.66 RON 3.00

380.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.61 RON 2.76

68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.61 RON 25.52

147.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.60 RON 7.26

-16.25%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$24.8K RON 112.7K

12.14%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.5K RON 124.9K

21.48%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$149 RON 677

-17.31%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$6.77 RON 30.76

103.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$9.85 RON 44.77

86.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$41.02 RON 187

47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.06 RON 86.7

-9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.00 RON 31.81

26.71%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$432 RON 1,965

59.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,959 RON 31.6K

126.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$81.5 RON 371

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$42.86 RON 195

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$75.2 RON 342

53.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$96.6 RON 439

-13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$394 RON 1,792

57.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$285 RON 1,298

56.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$578 RON 2,628

251.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$446 RON 2,028

235.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,047 RON 9,306

68.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,399 RON 6,358

80.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$750 RON 3,410

-34.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $394 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 52% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Mangalia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $199 – 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: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,052 in Mangalia – roughly 20% 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 $1,578 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 69% less in Mangalia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $432 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 $1,052, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,052 in Mangalia 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 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.