Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $853 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,260 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,667 in Stip.

Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than in Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Stip 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.53 MKD 398

-38.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$23.64 MKD 1,249

36.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.78 MKD 358

28.02%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.86 MKD 98.2

55.91%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.55 MKD 82.0

-45.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.16 MKD 61.4

-57.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.84 MKD 97.4

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.92 MKD 154

27.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.27 MKD 67.2

48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.82 MKD 43.07

71.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.16 MKD 61.5

39.66%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.59 MKD 137

-13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$8.69 MKD 459

128.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.52 MKD 397

-53.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.69 MKD 406

47.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$0.93 MKD 49.25

211.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.43 MKD 75.3

20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.39 MKD 73.5

63.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.72 MKD 90.8

23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.93 MKD 48.93

58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.89 MKD 46.77

59.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.59 MKD 31.21

86.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.42 MKD 22.08

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.26 MKD 172

32.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.61 MKD 402

144.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.09 MKD 57.4

65.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.53 MKD 81.0

94.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.65 MKD 34.21

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$22.86 MKD 1,208

2.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.14 MKD 60.3

171.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.68 MKD 35.94

58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$5.79 MKD 306

-33.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.52 MKD 80.5

-5.92%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-24.22%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

-3.82%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$165 MKD 8,691

-36.30%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$9.36 MKD 495

21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$17.13 MKD 905

2.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$28.13 MKD 1,486

93.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.64 MKD 351

17.17%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$381 MKD 20.1K

51.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

107.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$38.16 MKD 2,016

66.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.71 MKD 1,675

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$108 MKD 5,689

-10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$114 MKD 6,022

-21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$209 MKD 11.0K

251.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$131 MKD 6,901

283.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$341 MKD 18.0K

523.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$204 MKD 10.8K

512.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

183.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

162.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$472 MKD 24.9K

7.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.25

31.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $209 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Stip for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $186 per month, with Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stip is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $209 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $381 in Stip. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $853 in Stip versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Stip but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Stip the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Stip 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 Stip 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 Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.