Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sannicolau Mare

For one person, living is cheaper in Sannicolau Mare: $977 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Sannicolau Mare, Romania
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Sannicolau Mare
🇷🇴 Romania
$977
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Sannicolau Mare

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 Sannicolau Mare actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $977 in Sannicolau Mare.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Sannicolau Mare $977

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,515 in Sannicolau Mare.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Sannicolau Mare $1,515

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $2,053 in Sannicolau Mare.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Sannicolau Mare $2,053

Living in Phuket is roughly 32% more expensive than in Sannicolau Mare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Sannicolau Mare 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$8.34 RON 39.61
-47.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,086
$42.64 RON 202
-24.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿293
$7.24 RON 34.37
20.17%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.6
$3.21 RON 15.25
-15.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.28
$2.03 RON 9.65
-54.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.79
$1.81 RON 8.60
-72.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.1
$3.22 RON 15.30
-21.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$3.81 RON 18.11
-4.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.5
$1.37 RON 6.52
27.01%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.77
$1.11 RON 5.25
30.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.38 RON 6.53
8.70%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.0
$3.52 RON 16.73
-38.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿642
$7.82 RON 37.12
144.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$5.82 RON 27.63
-41.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿366
$7.82 RON 37.11
39.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.9
$1.16 RON 5.50
153.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$1.57 RON 7.43
7.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.8
$1.48 RON 7.04
47.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.4
$2.62 RON 12.43
-19.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.03
$0.65 RON 3.09
124.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.99
$0.65 RON 3.10
110.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.17
$1.03 RON 4.89
4.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.34
$0.91 RON 4.32
-39.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$5.90 RON 28.03
-24.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿614
$7.37 RON 34.97
147.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.6
$0.92 RON 4.38
92.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.8
$1.34 RON 6.37
114.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.66
$0.76 RON 3.62
90.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,845
$19.51 RON 92.7
181.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$0.95 RON 4.51
58.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.08
$0.87 RON 4.13
-10.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$9.68 RON 45.97
-60.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.0
$1.97 RON 9.36
-24.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿903.7K
$28.7K RON 136.4K
-6.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿885.7K
$25.0K RON 118.7K
5.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,288
$117 RON 554
-16.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿380
$8.88 RON 42.17
27.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿578
$12.33 RON 58.5
39.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,297
$40.17 RON 191
70.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿367
$18.21 RON 86.5
-40.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$6.71 RON 31.87
10.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.8K
$449 RON 2,133
18.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿631.4K
$9,988 RON 47.4K
88.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,073
$99.0 RON 470
-37.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿950
$38.15 RON 181
-25.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,228
$85.6 RON 406
12.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,919
$89.1 RON 423
-2.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.2K
$328 RON 1,559
119.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$256 RON 1,215
98.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.6K
$650 RON 3,085
200.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.0K
$418 RON 1,985
234.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.9K
$2,064 RON 9,800
103.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.9K
$1,233 RON 5,855
167.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7.02
-20.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sannicolau Mare: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Sannicolau Mare
$256 49.7% $253
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Sannicolau Mare
$195 27% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Sannicolau Mare
$138 9.2% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Sannicolau Mare
$140 14.3% $18
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Sannicolau Mare
$166 38.9% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Sannicolau Mare
$54 35.6% $30
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Sannicolau Mare
$28 57.8% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $328 in Sannicolau Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $43 in Sannicolau Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $195, with Sannicolau Mare cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇴 Sannicolau Mare
🕒 Local time
19:43 7:43 PM
14:43 2:43 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
13,083
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Sannicolau Mare 8,430 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Sannicolau Mare

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 Sannicolau Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sannicolau Mare cheaper than Phuket?
Sannicolau Mare is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,465 in Sannicolau Mare 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 Sannicolau Mare?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $328 in Sannicolau Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $449 in Sannicolau Mare. 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 Sannicolau Mare?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Phuket or in Sannicolau Mare?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Sannicolau Mare is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Sannicolau Mare?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sannicolau Mare?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sannicolau Mare are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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