😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,017 in Stara Pazova.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,493 in Stara Pazova.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,969 in Stara Pazova.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than Stara Pazova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Stara Pazova24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$9.10RSD 912
-49.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,523
$34.01RSD 3,410
37.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿287
$5.83RSD 585
51.63%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿97.4
$2.01RSD 201
49.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.11
$1.94RSD 194
-61.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.88
$1.16RSD 117
-68.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.3
$2.40RSD 240
1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿117
$2.68RSD 269
34.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.5
$1.37RSD 137
64.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿59.8
$0.60RSD 60.4
206.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.0
$1.86RSD 187
20.43%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.3
$2.66RSD 266
-12.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿639
$9.25RSD 928
112.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.64RSD 665
-45.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿426
$10.74RSD 1,077
21.97%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿110
$1.25RSD 125
171.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.4
$1.66RSD 166
-1.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.5
$1.68RSD 169
43.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.0
$1.72RSD 173
18.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.6
$0.94RSD 94.4
65.96%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.66
$0.96RSD 96.0
56.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.30
$0.66RSD 66.4
54.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿15.91
$0.65RSD 65.4
-24.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$4.17RSD 418
6.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿614
$5.62RSD 563
235.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿57.7
$0.86RSD 85.7
106.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$1.02RSD 102
169.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.54
$0.94RSD 93.9
48.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿373
$35.02RSD 3,511
-67.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿101
$1.04RSD 104
200.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.48
$0.63RSD 63.5
58.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿458
$4.97RSD 499
183.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿43.93
$1.73RSD 173
-21.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿883.7K
$30.4KRSD 3.0M
-10.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.7KRSD 2.7M
23.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,063
$140RSD 14.1K
-10.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿441
$13.84RSD 1,388
-1.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿602
$24.08RSD 2,414
-23.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿1,999
$30.87RSD 3,095
99.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$16.21RSD 1,625
3.89%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿299
$4.61RSD 462
99.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.7K
$180RSD 18.1K
287.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿506.9K
$4,006RSD 401.6K
289.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$55.0RSD 5,511
5.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,146
$14.88RSD 1,491
136.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,677
$98.3RSD 9,851
15.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,808
$122RSD 12.2K
-29.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.0K
$371RSD 37.2K
65.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.5K
$296RSD 29.7K
50.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿66.6K
$557RSD 55.9K
267.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.5K
$417RSD 41.8K
258.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿122.8K
$1,504RSD 150.8K
151.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.1K
$1,226RSD 122.9K
116.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stara Pazova
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.0K
$665RSD 66.7K
-21.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Stara Pazova: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $371 in Stara Pazova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stara Pazova pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Stara Pazova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $195 per month, with Stara Pazova 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 Stara Pazova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stara Pazova cheaper than Phuket?
Stara Pazova is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Stara Pazova?
On paper, Stara Pazova earns 27% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Stara Pazova?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $371 in Stara Pazova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $180 in Stara Pazova. 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 Stara Pazova?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Stara Pazova?
At $1,017 in Stara Pazova versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Stara Pazova but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Stara Pazova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stara Pazova more family-friendly?
For families, Stara Pazova 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Stara Pazova?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Stara Pazova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Stara Pazova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.