Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pogradec

For one person, living is cheaper in Pogradec: $820 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Pogradec
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Pogradec Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Pogradec

🇦🇱 Albania

$820

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Pogradec

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Pogradec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $820 in Pogradec.

Phuket $1,278
Pogradec $820

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,353 in Pogradec.

Phuket $2,216
Pogradec $1,353

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,887 in Pogradec.

Phuket $3,154
Pogradec $1,887

Living in Phuket is roughly 56% more expensive than in Pogradec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Pogradec 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$9.62 ALL 781

-53.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$39.12 ALL 3,177

-17.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.30 ALL 593

20.68%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$1.58 ALL 129

79.11%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.81 ALL 147

-51.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.68 ALL 55.6

-27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$1.49 ALL 121

71.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.66 ALL 216

38.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.97 ALL 160

-15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$0.91 ALL 73.8

60.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.05 ALL 167

-26.83%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.28 ALL 186

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$8.19 ALL 665

132.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.36 ALL 354

-24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$14.35 ALL 1,166

-23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$1.27 ALL 103

130.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.35 ALL 191

-28.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.50 ALL 122

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.26 ALL 102

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.97 ALL 79.0

55.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.02 ALL 83.1

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$1.02 ALL 82.6

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.84 ALL 68.4

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.28 ALL 348

-1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$7.80 ALL 634

140.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.25 ALL 102

45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.82 ALL 148

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$0.51 ALL 41.08

184.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$18.76 ALL 1,524

202.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.64 ALL 296

-17.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.86 ALL 151

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$18.50 ALL 1,503

-80.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$2.28 ALL 185

-35.53%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$33.1K ALL 2.7M

-19.03%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$24.3K ALL 2.0M

9.78%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$61.3 ALL 4,976

57.25%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$16.66 ALL 1,353

-32.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$17.47 ALL 1,419

-3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$36.29 ALL 2,947

85.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$18.73 ALL 1,521

-42.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$8.62 ALL 700

-12.99%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$99.8 ALL 8,105

376.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$49.22 ALL 3,998

26.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$56.0 ALL 4,549

-49.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$96.9 ALL 7,871

-2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$149 ALL 12.1K

-42.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$185 ALL 15.1K

286.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$126 ALL 10.2K

290.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$366 ALL 29.7K

427.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$251 ALL 20.4K

469.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$1,626 ALL 132.1K

156.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,499 ALL 121.8K

103.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$478 ALL 38.9K

4.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Pogradec

$126 15.3% 74.4% $365

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Pogradec

$213 26% 20% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Pogradec

$95 11.6% 23.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Pogradec

$158 19.3% 29.7% $36

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Pogradec

$141 17.2% 15.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Pogradec

$54 6.5% 34.9% $29

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Pogradec

$34 4.1% 52.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $185 in Pogradec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 5% 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 in Phuket vs $39 in Pogradec. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $213, with Pogradec cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇱 Pogradec

🕒 Local time

08:43 8:43 AM

02:43 2:43 AM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

20,848

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Pogradec 8,400 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Pogradec

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 36% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Phuket, 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: $716 in Phuket versus $185 in Pogradec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $100 in Pogradec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Pogradec is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Pogradec wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.