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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $885 in Sveti Nikole.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,299 in Sveti Nikole.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,713 in Sveti Nikole.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than in Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sveti Nikole 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.66 MKD 304

-19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$27.68 MKD 1,486

66.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.13 MKD 275

72.32%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.71 MKD 91.9

78.95%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.61 MKD 86.4

-54.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.23 MKD 66.3

-67.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.32 MKD 124

4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.74 MKD 147

37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.25 MKD 66.8

80.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.73 MKD 39.40

147.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.69 MKD 90.8

33.14%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.04 MKD 110

10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.56 MKD 460

127.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.33 MKD 340

-42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.78 MKD 740

-5.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.07 MKD 57.5

201.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.37 MKD 73.6

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.25 MKD 67.0

90.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.63 MKD 87.6

24.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.95 MKD 50.8

61.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.91 MKD 48.80

64.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.61 MKD 32.52

60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.54 MKD 28.77

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.07 MKD 165

44.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.62 MKD 356

176.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.96 MKD 51.4

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.52 MKD 81.6

76.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.64 MKD 34.11

120.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$20.57 MKD 1,104

-43.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.34 MKD 72.0

132.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.50 MKD 26.73

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.69 MKD 359

110.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.42 MKD 76.2

-7.75%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

-12.35%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

12.62%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$146 MKD 7,857

-16.34%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.61 MKD 945

-22.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.28 MKD 820

22.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$26.21 MKD 1,407

130.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.58 MKD 246

98.03%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$223 MKD 12.0K

216.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,208 MKD 64.9K

1208.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$76.2 MKD 4,088

-23.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$40.34 MKD 2,166

-12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$76.0 MKD 4,082

51.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$113 MKD 6,054

-25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$280 MKD 15.0K

123.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$193 MKD 10.3K

130.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$573 MKD 30.7K

256.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$305 MKD 16.4K

389.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,602 MKD 86.0K

117.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,274 MKD 68.4K

102.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$561 MKD 30.1K

-10.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.54

17.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $280 in Sveti Nikole. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Sveti Nikole for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $195 per month, with Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sveti Nikole is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $280 in Sveti Nikole. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $223 in Sveti Nikole. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $885 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,250 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.