Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shkoder Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shkoder

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $922 in Shkoder.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,353 in Shkoder.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,784 in Shkoder.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.04 ALL 496

-22.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$32.04 ALL 2,627

41.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$4.61 ALL 378

82.86%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.79 ALL 147

63.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.57 ALL 129

-56.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.80 ALL 65.7

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.43 ALL 199

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.18 ALL 260

16.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.06 ALL 169

8.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.93 ALL 75.9

96.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.01 ALL 165

7.96%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.91 ALL 239

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.87 ALL 563

187.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.89 ALL 401

-25.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.35 ALL 849

30.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.52 ALL 125

115.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.34 ALL 192

-31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.66 ALL 136

45.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.34 ALL 110

55.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.98 ALL 80.7

56.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.17 ALL 95.8

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.09 ALL 89.6

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.69 ALL 56.9

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.13 ALL 338

6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.22 ALL 510

211.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.46 ALL 120

21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.67 ALL 137

62.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.45 ALL 36.87

204.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$11.61 ALL 952

-1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.60 ALL 295

-16.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$3.07 ALL 252

-67.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$17.92 ALL 1,470

-21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$2.19 ALL 180

-37.90%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

-18.49%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

32.28%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$67.9 ALL 5,570

79.16%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.90 ALL 1,386

-19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$16.11 ALL 1,321

13.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$40.50 ALL 3,321

48.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$11.69 ALL 958

46.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.20 ALL 590

20.69%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$89.0 ALL 7,296

679.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

773.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$47.65 ALL 3,907

24.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$11.91 ALL 977

191.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$72.0 ALL 5,901

59.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$142 ALL 11.6K

-41.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$310 ALL 25.4K

98.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$300 ALL 24.6K

45.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$353 ALL 28.9K

493.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$347 ALL 28.4K

335.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

106.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

112.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$571 ALL 46.9K

-11.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $310 in Shkoder. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shkoder pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Shkoder for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $202 per month, with Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shkoder is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Shkoder earns 12% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $310 in Shkoder. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $89.0 in Shkoder. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $922 in Shkoder versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shkoder but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shkoder the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shkoder 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 Shkoder 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 Shkoder gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.