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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $674 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,086 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,498 in Orhei.

Living in Phuket is roughly 81% more expensive than in Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$8.79 MDL 152

-48.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$36.69 MDL 634

27.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$7.48 MDL 129

13.50%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.81 MDL 31.24

70.17%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.93 MDL 16.11

-26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.70 MDL 12.05

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.74 MDL 29.99

39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.28 MDL 39.32

59.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.28 MDL 22.05

71.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.52 MDL 8.97

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.45 MDL 25.13

53.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.53 MDL 43.74

-11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$10.37 MDL 179

89.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.59 MDL 96.6

-33.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$8.74 MDL 151

54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$0.89 MDL 15.30

277.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.75 MDL 30.19

-7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.70 MDL 29.30

41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.07 MDL 35.69

-3.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.78 MDL 13.49

96.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.55 MDL 9.51

163.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.31 MDL 22.68

-22.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.83 MDL 14.37

-42.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.24 MDL 56.0

31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.27 MDL 21.90

44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.99 MDL 34.30

37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.18 MDL 3.06

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.07 MDL 35.83

44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.25 MDL 4.32

320.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$5.41 MDL 93.5

156.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.44 MDL 24.89

-10.42%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$31.9K MDL 551.4K

-12.15%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$31.2K MDL 538.4K

7.54%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$171 MDL 2,957

-28.70%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$7.57 MDL 131

84.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$11.03 MDL 191

71.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$7.44 MDL 129

19.49%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$386 MDL 6,670

79.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$7,547 MDL 130.4K

114.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$66.1 MDL 1,141

-12.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$53.0 MDL 916

-33.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$113 MDL 1,953

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$124 MDL 2,138

-32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.24

-42.32%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Orhei: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Orhei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $180 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,011 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 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $674 in Orhei – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $674 in Orhei versus $1,223 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 81% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.