Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samokov Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samokov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,012 in Samokov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,582 in Samokov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,151 in Samokov.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Samokov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Samokov 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.13 BGN 16.85

-55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$41.76 BGN 69.5

9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$10.12 BGN 16.84

-13.44%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$1.89 BGN 3.15

57.14%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$1.04 BGN 1.73

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$1.94 BGN 3.22

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.01 BGN 5.01

24.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$2.03 BGN 3.38

5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.02 BGN 1.70

78.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$2.74 BGN 4.56

-20.44%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$3.87 BGN 6.43

-41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$13.16 BGN 21.89

51.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.54 BGN 14.20

-57.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$12.82 BGN 21.33

5.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$1.60 BGN 2.66

102.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.98 BGN 3.30

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$2.82 BGN 4.69

-26.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.19 BGN 1.99

30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.38 BGN 2.30

5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-23.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.72 BGN 1.21

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$3.66 BGN 6.10

18.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$6.36 BGN 10.57

191.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.25 BGN 2.08

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$1.69 BGN 2.81

56.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.91 BGN 1.51

56.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$26.85 BGN 44.67

-56.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.21 BGN 2.01

161.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.61 BGN 1.01

68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$11.69 BGN 19.45

18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-13.55%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$36.4K BGN 60.5K

-23.57%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.3K BGN 57.1K

-2.81%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$121 BGN 201

1.90%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$17.49 BGN 29.09

-21.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$13.14 BGN 21.87

39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$30.04 BGN 49.97

102.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$14.75 BGN 24.54

16.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$6.94 BGN 11.55

27.81%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$321 BGN 534

114.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$5,378 BGN 8,947

193.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$44.42 BGN 73.9

33.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$30.02 BGN 49.94

15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$126 BGN 210

-8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$75.8 BGN 126

10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$293 BGN 488

111.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$231 BGN 384

93.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$473 BGN 787

329.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$347 BGN 578

330.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$1,150 BGN 1,914

200.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$1,002 BGN 1,666

152.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$731 BGN 1,216

-32.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.1

4.51%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samokov: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $293 in Samokov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samokov pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Samokov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $263 per month, with Samokov 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 Samokov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samokov is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Samokov. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $293 in Samokov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $321 in Samokov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,012 in Samokov versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samokov but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samokov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samokov 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 Samokov 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 Samokov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.