🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,514 in Novo Mesto.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,255 in Novo Mesto.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,996 in Novo Mesto.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 19% less than in Novo Mesto, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Novo Mesto is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$11.68€10.18
-62.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$35.50€30.95
-9.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$9.31€8.12
-4.08%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$1.91€1.67
51.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$2.30€2.00
-61.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.64€1.43
-70.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$3.28€2.86
-28.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$2.92€2.55
27.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.32€1.15
41.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$1.83€1.60
-19.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$2.98€2.60
-47.99%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$3.96€3.45
-46.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$13.71€11.95
42.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$10.03€8.74
-65.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$9.20€8.02
23.70%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$1.72€1.50
73.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$1.74€1.52
-3.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$2.04€1.78
8.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$3.50€3.05
-38.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.15€1.00
32.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.58€1.38
-15.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.30€1.13
-13.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.76€0.67
-27.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$6.05€5.27
-29.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$7.11€6.20
168.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.48€1.29
20.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$1.81€1.58
53.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$1.36€1.18
63.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$31.71€27.64
-28.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$1.72€1.50
76.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$1.37€1.20
-25.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$29.33€25.57
-86.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.73€1.51
-13.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$30.0K€26.2K
-11.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$26.1K€22.7K
3.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$302€263
-66.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$11.54€10.06
-1.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$39.72€34.62
-56.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$54.2€47.24
-3.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$34.22€29.83
-67.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$8.20€7.15
-6.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$517€451
8.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$11.5K€10.0K
0.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$93.8€81.8
-32.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$38.32€33.40
-22.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$126€110
-22.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$150€130
-40.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$518€452
42.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$435€379
10.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$855€745
146.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$770€671
59.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$2,939€2,562
23.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$3,398€2,962
-23.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Novo Mesto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$1,493€1,301
-66.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.29
69.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Novo Mesto: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $518 in Novo Mesto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Novo Mesto pays 202% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Novo Mesto. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $269, with Novo Mesto cheaper for home cooking.
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 Novo Mesto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Novo Mesto?
Phuket and Novo Mesto differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,514 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 202% lower in Novo Mesto. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Novo Mesto?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $518 in Novo Mesto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Novo Mesto pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $35.00 in Novo Mesto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,514 in Novo Mesto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Novo Mesto. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Novo Mesto?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Novo Mesto safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Novo Mesto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Novo Mesto?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Novo Mesto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.