Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $864 in Stara Zagora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,330 in Stara Zagora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,796 in Stara Zagora.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Stara Zagora 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$8.82 BGN 14.68

-46.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$34.74 BGN 57.8

30.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.99 BGN 14.95

-6.23%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.87 BGN 3.11

56.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.27 BGN 2.11

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.73 BGN 1.22

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.17 BGN 1.94

105.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.02 BGN 3.35

84.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.86 BGN 3.09

19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.78 BGN 1.29

134.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.54 BGN 2.56

40.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.25 BGN 3.74

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.15 BGN 15.21

115.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.52 BGN 12.51

-51.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.65 BGN 14.39

56.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.37 BGN 2.27

139.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.88 BGN 3.13

28.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.14 BGN 3.55

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.01 BGN 1.67

51.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.85 BGN 1.42

74.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.57 BGN 0.95

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.75 BGN 1.24

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.84 BGN 6.39

14.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.34 BGN 8.88

262.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.22 BGN 2.03

45.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.17 BGN 3.62

24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.92 BGN 1.54

48.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$18.95 BGN 31.52

-39.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.38 BGN 2.29

118.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.70 BGN 1.17

41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$11.66 BGN 19.39

20.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-11.69%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$24.7K BGN 41.0K

14.41%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.9K BGN 29.8K

83.42%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$104 BGN 173

17.23%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$15.07 BGN 25.06

-9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$11.04 BGN 18.36

65.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$19.66 BGN 32.70

206.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$17.48 BGN 29.08

-1.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.78 BGN 12.94

11.70%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$232 BGN 386

198.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,361 BGN 3,927

564.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$38.22 BGN 63.6

55.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$18.85 BGN 31.36

84.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$76.1 BGN 127

50.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$75.7 BGN 126

10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$244 BGN 406

151.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$232 BGN 386

88.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$399 BGN 663

425.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$368 BGN 612

310.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,508 BGN 2,508

148.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,120 BGN 1,863

133.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,062 BGN 1,767

-52.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.4

56.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $244 in Stara Zagora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stara Zagora pays 109% 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $204 per month, with Stara Zagora 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 Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stara Zagora is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stara Zagora earns 109% 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 $244 in Stara Zagora. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $232 in Stara Zagora. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $864 in Stara Zagora versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Stara Zagora but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Stara Zagora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.