Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $372 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $614 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $856 in Orhei.

Living in Phuket is roughly 239% more expensive than in Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Orhei 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$11.79 MDL 200

-62.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$23.52 MDL 399

49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$7.34 MDL 125

22.07%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.42 MDL 24.06

111.27%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.84 MDL 14.24

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.48 MDL 8.20

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.14 MDL 19.37

110.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.43 MDL 24.31

162.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.03 MDL 17.50

76.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.33 MDL 5.65

330.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.97 MDL 33.45

8.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.10 MDL 35.67

-20.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.65 MDL 11.02

126.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.56 MDL 9.59

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.18 MDL 3.08

1155.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.13 MDL 19.11

169.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.61 MDL 27.27

-7.45%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$21.4K MDL 364.2K

28.28%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$62.1 MDL 1,054

64.00%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$7.14 MDL 121

57.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$10.65 MDL 181

66.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$3.40 MDL 57.8

130.88%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$34.38 MDL 584

90.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$34.82 MDL 591

-17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$112 MDL 1,908

-11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$34.56 MDL 587

161.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Orhei: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Orhei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $43.00 per month, with Orhei cheaper across the board.

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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orhei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 239% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $557 in Orhei to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 534% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Orhei – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $372 in Orhei versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Orhei is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Orhei are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 239% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.