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 $996 in Shkoder.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,483 in Shkoder.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,969 in Shkoder.

Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than in Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Shkoder 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$9.43 ALL 744

-50.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$39.19 ALL 3,095

-17.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.30 ALL 497

37.78%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.06 ALL 163

40.78%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.93 ALL 153

-56.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.66 ALL 52.0

-25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.86 ALL 147

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.17 ALL 251

17.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.00 ALL 158

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.03 ALL 81.3

36.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.11 ALL 166

-23.22%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.76 ALL 218

-18.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.36 ALL 581

169.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.04 ALL 398

-30.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$11.18 ALL 883

1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.61 ALL 127

80.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.31 ALL 183

-25.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.69 ALL 134

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.49 ALL 118

42.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.04 ALL 82.1

41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.25 ALL 98.6

13.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.19 ALL 93.7

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.75 ALL 58.9

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.32 ALL 342

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$6.16 ALL 487

201.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.62 ALL 128

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.85 ALL 146

60.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.48 ALL 37.75

368.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$11.58 ALL 914

102.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.80 ALL 300

-18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$4.02 ALL 317

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$18.84 ALL 1,488

-79.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.10 ALL 166

-31.90%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

-19.51%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$26.1K ALL 2.1M

3.57%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$64.0 ALL 5,056

63.72%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$16.77 ALL 1,324

-32.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$17.80 ALL 1,406

-1.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$44.21 ALL 3,491

22.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$12.39 ALL 978

-7.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.69 ALL 608

1.17%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$93.4 ALL 7,379

517.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,926 ALL 152.1K

501.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$50.4 ALL 3,977

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$12.85 ALL 1,015

126.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$74.9 ALL 5,917

28.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$149 ALL 11.8K

-39.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$490 ALL 38.7K

49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$324 ALL 25.6K

54.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$384 ALL 30.3K

453.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$365 ALL 28.9K

242.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,858 ALL 146.8K

90.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,273 ALL 100.5K

106.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$592 ALL 46.7K

-14.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $490 in Shkoder. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shkoder pays 17% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $210, with Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shkoder is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Shkoder. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $490 in Shkoder. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $93.4 in Shkoder. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $996 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 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.