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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,088 in Samokov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,703 in Samokov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,318 in Samokov.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than in Samokov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Samokov 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.50 BGN 15.80

-53.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$47.82 BGN 79.6

-32.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$9.98 BGN 16.60

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.94 BGN 4.90

-1.36%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-49.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-69.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.73 BGN 4.53

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.02 BGN 6.69

-7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.86 BGN 3.10

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.25 BGN 2.09

17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$2.31 BGN 3.85

-32.90%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$3.77 BGN 6.27

-44.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$11.89 BGN 19.78

64.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.62 BGN 14.35

-60.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$14.44 BGN 24.03

-21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.78 BGN 2.95

67.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.92 BGN 3.19

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.96 BGN 3.27

12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.64 BGN 4.39

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.07 BGN 1.77

42.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.13 BGN 1.88

18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.25 BGN 2.09

-9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.79 BGN 1.31

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.19 BGN 6.97

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$6.41 BGN 10.66

197.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.17 BGN 1.94

52.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.00 BGN 3.33

39.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.79 BGN 1.31

182.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$26.05 BGN 43.34

-12.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.34 BGN 2.23

126.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.63 BGN 1.04

61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$10.69 BGN 17.79

-63.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.62 BGN 2.69

-8.02%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$31.3K BGN 52.0K

-15.00%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$25.4K BGN 42.2K

6.47%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$116 BGN 192

-11.35%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$19.39 BGN 32.27

-41.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$15.99 BGN 26.61

8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$30.59 BGN 50.9

70.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$18.60 BGN 30.95

-40.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$9.19 BGN 15.29

-16.32%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$530 BGN 882

5.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$5,577 BGN 9,278

106.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$69.8 BGN 116

-9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$42.45 BGN 70.6

-30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$101 BGN 167

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$106 BGN 176

-16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$305 BGN 507

142.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$271 BGN 451

77.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$547 BGN 910

285.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$455 BGN 758

169.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,298 BGN 2,159

178.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,247 BGN 2,075

108.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$736 BGN 1,224

-32.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.1

79.68%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Samokov: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $305 in Samokov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samokov pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Samokov. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $262, with Samokov 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 Samokov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samokov is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $305 in Samokov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $530 in Samokov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,088 in Samokov versus $1,232 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 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.