🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,258 in Szombathely.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,005 in Szombathely.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,753 in Szombathely.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Szombathely8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿146
$12.59Ft 3,980
-64.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,071
$56.0Ft 17.7K
-42.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$8.98Ft 2,839
-0.56%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.1
$2.47Ft 780
17.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.22
$1.40Ft 441
-37.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.97
$1.33Ft 422
-63.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.1
$1.85Ft 586
27.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$2.42Ft 764
53.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿61.9
$1.23Ft 390
52.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.68
$1.71Ft 540
-14.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.5
$2.45Ft 774
-36.73%
Eggs
$2.10฿69.8
$3.43Ft 1,084
-38.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿650
$10.60Ft 3,352
84.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$6.99Ft 2,211
-51.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿378
$16.95Ft 5,359
-32.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.1
$2.31Ft 731
29.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿55.9
$2.13Ft 675
-21.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.3
$2.56Ft 811
-13.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿71.8
$3.44Ft 1,086
-37.21%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.6
$1.17Ft 369
29.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.43
$1.44Ft 454
-6.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.47
$1.90Ft 601
-40.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.14
$0.61Ft 192
-9.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$8.56Ft 2,708
-50.23%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿634
$4.73Ft 1,495
303.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.1
$1.32Ft 417
34.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.4
$2.66Ft 841
4.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.0
$0.86Ft 273
159.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿755
$27.69Ft 8,755
-17.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.85Ft 901
6.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿33.96
$1.40Ft 443
-27.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿129
$24.55Ft 7,762
-84.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.50
$1.89Ft 598
-21.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿882.5K
$29.8KFt 9.4M
-10.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿897.4K
$33.9KFt 10.7M
-20.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,402
$173Ft 54.6K
-40.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿376
$21.19Ft 6,700
-46.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿578
$21.29Ft 6,730
-18.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,729
$49.16Ft 15.5K
5.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿368
$20.03Ft 6,332
-44.73%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿255
$4.63Ft 1,464
66.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.6K
$437Ft 138.1K
28.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿382.0K
$8,042Ft 2.5M
43.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,093
$104Ft 33.0K
-39.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿980
$53.5Ft 16.9K
-44.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,254
$99.1Ft 31.3K
-1.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,938
$116Ft 36.7K
-23.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.5K
$543Ft 171.8K
35.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.0K
$353Ft 111.7K
36.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿69.9K
$769Ft 243.3K
173.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.7K
$681Ft 215.2K
80.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.1K
$2,489Ft 786.9K
45.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.4K
$2,030Ft 641.9K
28.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Szombathely
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
$1,186Ft 375.0K
-58.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
7.5
-25.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $543 in Szombathely. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Szombathely pays 140% 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 $56.0 in Szombathely. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $265, with Szombathely 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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szombathely cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Szombathely?
On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Szombathely. 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 Szombathely?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $543 in Szombathely. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $437 in Szombathely. 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 in Szombathely?
Shoppers in Szombathely pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Szombathely?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,258 in Szombathely, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Szombathely. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Szombathely more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Szombathely, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Szombathely?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Szombathely 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 2% less than in Szombathely. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.