Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pogradec Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pogradec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,006 in Pogradec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,536 in Pogradec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,066 in Pogradec.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$8.03 ALL 655

-42.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$36.74 ALL 3,000

27.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.91 ALL 564

27.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.90 ALL 73.7

233.33%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.62 ALL 133

-54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.73 ALL 59.8

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.42 ALL 116

71.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.55 ALL 208

41.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.04 ALL 167

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.84 ALL 68.6

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.94 ALL 158

15.46%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.17 ALL 177

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.49 ALL 611

162.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.22 ALL 345

-13.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.10 ALL 1,070

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.15 ALL 94.1

194.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.45 ALL 200

-33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.39 ALL 113

73.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.21 ALL 99.1

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.95 ALL 77.9

64.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.92 ALL 75.0

63.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.98 ALL 80.3

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.72 ALL 59.0

-31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.00 ALL 327

11.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.21 ALL 834

84.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.20 ALL 97.6

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.79 ALL 146

53.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.49 ALL 39.73

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$19.07 ALL 1,557

-39.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.52 ALL 288

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.54 ALL 126

-35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$17.85 ALL 1,458

-21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$2.19 ALL 179

-38.36%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

-21.56%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

28.18%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$66.6 ALL 5,435

87.74%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.43 ALL 1,423

-22.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$15.65 ALL 1,277

18.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$55.8 ALL 4,552

10.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$25.57 ALL 2,088

-34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$8.20 ALL 670

12.07%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$95.4 ALL 7,793

631.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$47.50 ALL 3,878

21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$52.8 ALL 4,314

-33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$93.4 ALL 7,625

21.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$140 ALL 11.4K

-38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$442 ALL 36.1K

39.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$342 ALL 27.9K

30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$618 ALL 50.5K

231.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$431 ALL 35.2K

245.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,599 ALL 130.6K

136.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,462 ALL 119.4K

81.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$464 ALL 37.9K

12.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $442 in Pogradec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 13% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Pogradec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $208 per month, with Pogradec 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 Pogradec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pogradec is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $442 in Pogradec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $95.4 in Pogradec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,006 in Pogradec versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pogradec but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pogradec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pogradec 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 Pogradec 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 Pogradec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.