ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $491 in Podujevo.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $784 in Podujevo.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,077 in Podujevo.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 151% more expensive than Podujevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Podujevo63% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$5.89âŽ5.04
-21.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$24.95âŽ21.36
87.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$6.58âŽ5.64
34.35%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$1.44âŽ1.24
108.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$1.29âŽ1.11
-42.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$1.03âŽ0.89
-64.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$2.25âŽ1.92
8.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$2.56âŽ2.19
41.02%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.28âŽ1.10
76.56%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$0.60âŽ0.52
206.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$1.41âŽ1.21
58.87%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$1.53âŽ1.31
51.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$6.23âŽ5.34
215.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$5.03âŽ4.30
-27.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$10.59âŽ9.06
23.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$1.20âŽ1.02
182.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$1.57âŽ1.35
4.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.45âŽ1.24
66.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$1.19âŽ1.02
70.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$0.78âŽ0.67
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$0.82âŽ0.70
82.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$0.68âŽ0.58
50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.51âŽ0.44
-3.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$2.92âŽ2.50
52.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$5.90âŽ5.05
220.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$0.95âŽ0.81
87.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$1.45âŽ1.24
89.66%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$1.72âŽ1.47
81.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$0.54âŽ0.46
85.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$5.80âŽ4.97
142.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.52âŽ1.30
-11.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$23.3KâŽ19.9K
16.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$25.2KâŽ21.5K
30.83%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$85.6âŽ73.3
46.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$9.08âŽ7.78
49.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$19.45âŽ16.65
-4.78%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$4.73âŽ4.05
94.29%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$172âŽ147
305.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$2,942âŽ2,518
430.06%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$38.31âŽ32.79
50.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$30.82âŽ26.38
14.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$55.7âŽ47.71
102.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$84.3âŽ72.2
2.42%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Podujevo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4
33.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Podujevo: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Podujevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $166 per month, with Podujevo 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 Podujevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Podujevo cheaper than Phuket?
Podujevo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $736 in Podujevo 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $172 in Podujevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Podujevo?
Dining out is cheaper in Podujevo â a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Podujevo?
At $491 in Podujevo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Podujevo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Podujevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Podujevo more family-friendly?
For families, Podujevo 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Podujevo?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Podujevo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Podujevo gentler on the wallet â expenses run 151% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.