😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,140 in Ramnicu Sarat.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,763 in Ramnicu Sarat.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,385 in Ramnicu Sarat.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 11% more expensive than in Ramnicu Sarat, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Ramnicu Sarat14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$14.00RON 63.6
-68.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$69.0RON 314
-33.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$8.29RON 37.70
5.67%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$3.30RON 14.99
-10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$1.89RON 8.59
-63.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.32RON 5.99
-70.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$2.24RON 10.17
12.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.19RON 14.50
17.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.71RON 7.76
25.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.24RON 5.63
46.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.91RON 8.70
14.14%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$3.14RON 14.30
-28.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$9.80RON 44.55
104.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$6.65RON 30.25
-45.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$11.68RON 53.1
16.10%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$1.41RON 6.40
129.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.80RON 8.16
-8.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.72RON 7.80
35.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$2.42RON 11.00
-14.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.05RON 4.77
47.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.15RON 5.22
26.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$1.03RON 4.70
-4.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.91RON 4.13
-47.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$6.27RON 28.53
-30.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$6.37RON 28.98
191.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.09RON 4.95
70.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.77RON 8.06
49.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.67RON 3.06
111.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$20.09RON 91.4
-42.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.97RON 4.39
226.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.75RON 3.40
37.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$8.14RON 37.02
70.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.64RON 7.47
-18.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$28.5KRON 129.4K
-2.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$27.9KRON 126.8K
19.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$188RON 856
-34.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$7.99RON 36.34
72.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$9.01RON 40.96
103.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$41.95RON 191
44.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$19.46RON 88.5
-11.82%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$8.12RON 36.91
9.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$556RON 2,528
23.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$8,245RON 37.5K
91.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$70.4RON 320
-15.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$66.3RON 302
-47.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$75.2RON 342
53.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$80.1RON 364
4.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$381RON 1,733
63.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$292RON 1,329
52.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$577RON 2,622
252.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$432RON 1,965
246.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$1,939RON 8,815
78.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$1,299RON 5,908
94.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.78
-21.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $381 in Ramnicu Sarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $226, with Ramnicu Sarat cheaper for home cooking.
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 Ramnicu Sarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ramnicu Sarat cheaper than Phuket?
Ramnicu Sarat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,710 in Ramnicu Sarat 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Ramnicu Sarat?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $381 in Ramnicu Sarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $556 in Ramnicu Sarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Ramnicu Sarat?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ramnicu Sarat?
At $1,140 in Ramnicu Sarat versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ramnicu Sarat but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ramnicu Sarat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ramnicu Sarat more family-friendly?
For families, Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.