Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Satu Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Satu Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $971 in Satu Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,485 in Satu Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,999 in Satu Mare.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Satu Mare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Satu Mare 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$8.95 RON 40.41

-47.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,057

$34.28 RON 155

-6.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿285

$6.60 RON 29.81

31.52%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.1

$2.64 RON 11.92

9.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.69

$1.51 RON 6.83

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.05

$1.41 RON 6.36

-65.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.5

$2.05 RON 9.25

20.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.52 RON 11.38

48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿61.9

$1.20 RON 5.42

57.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.21

$1.14 RON 5.13

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.20 RON 5.41

35.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.79 RON 12.58

-19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿651

$7.42 RON 33.51

167.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.71 RON 34.80

-54.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿373

$11.34 RON 51.2

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.1

$1.19 RON 5.36

143.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.42 RON 6.39

21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.6

$1.36 RON 6.14

66.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.0

$1.47 RON 6.64

44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.38

$1.20 RON 5.44

22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.59

$1.44 RON 6.51

-1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.00

$0.97 RON 4.40

13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.62

$0.73 RON 3.30

-17.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿141

$5.77 RON 26.07

-25.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿610

$6.49 RON 29.29

186.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.1

$1.26 RON 5.67

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.3

$1.86 RON 8.42

59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.7

$0.57 RON 2.57

294.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿771

$24.38 RON 110

-3.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.83 RON 3.73

273.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.31

$0.86 RON 3.88

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$8.81 RON 39.77

-56.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.83

$1.57 RON 7.08

-8.92%

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

$27.8K ฿911.7K

$24.1K RON 108.9K

15.20%

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

$27.0K ฿885.3K

$26.1K RON 117.8K

3.41%

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

$105 ฿3,438

$133 RON 602

-21.41%

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

$11.39 ฿374

$7.73 RON 34.88

47.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿576

$7.70 RON 34.77

127.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,783

$44.36 RON 200

22.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿375

$11.16 RON 50.4

2.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿255

$6.83 RON 30.83

13.91%

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

$576 ฿18.9K

$165 RON 746

248.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.0K

$4,075 RON 18.4K

184.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,088

$63.1 RON 285

0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿955

$29.49 RON 133

-1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,157

$88.6 RON 400

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,953

$74.1 RON 335

21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$337 RON 1,522

117.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.4K

$277 RON 1,250

80.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.7K

$666 RON 3,007

219.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.1K

$421 RON 1,902

197.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿115.9K

$1,050 RON 4,742

236.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.0K

$1,090 RON 4,919

140.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$685 RON 3,093

-25.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.05

-20.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $337 in Satu Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Satu Mare pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Satu Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $205, with Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Satu Mare. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $337 in Satu Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $169 in Satu Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $971 in Satu Mare versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.