Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $401 in Soroca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $642 in Soroca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $882 in Soroca.

Living in Phuket is roughly 207% more expensive than in Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Soroca 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.48 MDL 200

-61.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$22.67 MDL 395

42.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.52 MDL 78.7

97.57%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.46 MDL 25.37

98.63%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.71 MDL 12.42

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.45 MDL 7.77

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.18 MDL 20.59

99.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.48 MDL 25.71

151.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.01 MDL 17.59

85.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.36 MDL 6.35

308.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.16 MDL 20.25

33.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.02 MDL 35.16

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.98 MDL 34.48

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.64 MDL 11.21

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.53 MDL 9.24

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.18 MDL 20.45

156.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.60 MDL 27.77

-6.88%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$21.0K MDL 365.5K

28.69%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$60.7 MDL 1,056

68.79%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$8.39 MDL 146

35.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$13.35 MDL 232

30.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$28.29 MDL 492

84.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$3.40 MDL 59.1

126.18%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$34.45 MDL 599

82.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$34.73 MDL 604

-15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$110 MDL 1,910

-10.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$34.52 MDL 601

156.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$510 MDL 8,871

-3.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Soroca: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Soroca pays 3% 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 $23.00 in Soroca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $47.00 per month, with Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Soroca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 207% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Soroca. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 486% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Soroca – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $401 in Soroca versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Soroca but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Soroca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Soroca 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 Soroca 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 Soroca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 207% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.