🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,408 in Szczecin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,007 in Szczecin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,606 in Szczecin.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 10% less than in Szczecin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Szczecin is 5% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$9.33zł 34.08
-49.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$49.78zł 182
-8.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$8.76zł 31.98
-3.77%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$3.33zł 12.15
-12.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$1.86zł 6.81
-62.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$1.41zł 5.16
-73.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.32zł 12.13
-27.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.18zł 11.62
16.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$0.96zł 3.51
132.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.28zł 4.68
42.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$0.99zł 3.60
119.19%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$3.34zł 12.18
-33.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.64zł 35.22
104.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$6.39zł 23.33
-43.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$13.30zł 48.58
1.73%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$0.89zł 3.26
268.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.78zł 6.50
-9.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.39zł 5.09
73.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.18zł 7.97
-4.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$0.89zł 3.24
71.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.07zł 3.90
38.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.03zł 3.77
-3.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.60zł 2.20
-15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$5.32zł 19.44
-17.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$7.03zł 25.67
175.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.14zł 4.15
56.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$1.47zł 5.38
84.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$0.82zł 3.01
67.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$27.10zł 99.0
-57.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$2.20zł 8.04
37.27%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$0.97zł 3.55
2.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$13.44zł 49.09
4.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.67zł 6.10
-18.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$32.7Kzł 119.6K
-13.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$30.7Kzł 112.2K
7.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$253zł 924
-51.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$10.70zł 39.07
26.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$17.06zł 62.3
7.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$29.59zł 108
103.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$15.99zł 58.4
7.19%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$6.91zł 25.23
25.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$379zł 1,386
82.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$8,219zł 30.0K
90.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$56.4zł 206
5.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$30.67zł 112
13.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$72.4zł 265
58.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$85.1zł 311
-2.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$657zł 2,399
-6.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$534zł 1,950
-18.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$963zł 3,519
117.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$811zł 2,962
86.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,413zł 12.5K
9.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,566zł 9,374
1.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Szczecin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,660zł 6,064
-69.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.36
-16.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Szczecin: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $657 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Szczecin pays 227% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $50.0 in Szczecin. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $211, with Szczecin 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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szczecin cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Szczecin?
On paper, Szczecin earns 227% 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 Szczecin?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $657 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $379 in Szczecin. 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 Szczecin?
Shoppers in Szczecin pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Szczecin?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,408 in Szczecin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Szczecin. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Szczecin more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Szczecin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Szczecin?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Szczecin 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Szczecin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.