Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $894 in Sveti Nikole.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,352 in Sveti Nikole.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,811 in Sveti Nikole.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Sveti Nikole 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.38 MKD 495

-51.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$34.67 MKD 1,828

-5.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.40 MKD 285

64.81%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.75 MKD 92.1

60.00%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.45 MKD 76.5

-39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.01 MKD 53.5

-51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.58 MKD 83.3

51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$1.86 MKD 98.3

99.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.40 MKD 74.1

27.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.56 MKD 29.58

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.20 MKD 63.3

31.67%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.55 MKD 135

-16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$9.66 MKD 509

106.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.64 MKD 245

-26.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$12.40 MKD 654

-8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.39 MKD 73.4

112.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.36 MKD 71.6

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.35 MKD 71.4

71.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.78 MKD 93.8

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.79 MKD 41.50

86.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.21 MKD 63.9

12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.83 MKD 43.89

32.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.41 MKD 21.58

39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.13 MKD 165

36.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$6.45 MKD 340

185.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.06 MKD 55.8

76.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.47 MKD 77.7

98.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.78 MKD 41.20

184.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$25.00 MKD 1,318

-8.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.55 MKD 81.8

95.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.06 MKD 56.0

0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.83 MKD 202

2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.44 MKD 76.1

3.47%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-19.84%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

-1.96%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$152 MKD 8,017

-32.38%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$15.96 MKD 841

-31.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$12.48 MKD 658

40.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$23.62 MKD 1,245

126.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$16.78 MKD 885

-33.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.21 MKD 275

43.57%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$356 MKD 18.8K

56.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$4,864 MKD 256.5K

143.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$77.0 MKD 4,062

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$33.42 MKD 1,762

-13.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$83.6 MKD 4,410

14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$88.8 MKD 4,685

1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$312 MKD 16.5K

134.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$184 MKD 9,690

171.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$491 MKD 25.9K

325.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$305 MKD 16.1K

296.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,613 MKD 85.0K

122.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,204 MKD 63.5K

108.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$569 MKD 30.0K

-11.60%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $312 in Sveti Nikole. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Sveti Nikole. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $188, with Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sveti Nikole is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Sveti Nikole. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $312 in Sveti Nikole. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $356 in Sveti Nikole. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $894 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sveti Nikole but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sveti Nikole the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.