Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Targovishte Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Targovishte

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $854 in Targovishte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,350 in Targovishte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,845 in Targovishte.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than in Targovishte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Targovishte 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.00 BGN 14.98

-49.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$42.05 BGN 70.0

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$8.60 BGN 14.30

2.79%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.47 BGN 4.10

23.89%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.44 BGN 2.39

-49.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.96 BGN 4.93

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.97 BGN 4.94

27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.61 BGN 2.68

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.76 BGN 1.26

138.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.13 BGN 3.55

5.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.80 BGN 4.66

-19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.66 BGN 14.41

125.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.80 BGN 9.64

-37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.89 BGN 14.80

46.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.56 BGN 2.59

107.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.70 BGN 2.82

-4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.64 BGN 2.73

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.46 BGN 4.10

-17.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.03 BGN 1.71

48.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.14 BGN 1.90

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.92 BGN 1.53

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.62 BGN 1.03

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.52 BGN 5.85

26.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.95 BGN 9.90

207.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.68 BGN 1.13

173.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.08 BGN 1.79

148.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.84 BGN 1.39

67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$26.08 BGN 43.38

-55.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.20 BGN 1.99

159.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.48 BGN 0.81

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$10.74 BGN 17.87

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-17.61%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$31.7K BGN 52.8K

-12.35%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.7K BGN 34.4K

60.64%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$58.5 BGN 97.2

109.48%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.97 BGN 14.92

51.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$13.08 BGN 21.77

42.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$17.93 BGN 29.83

237.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$23.56 BGN 39.20

-27.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.75 BGN 7.90

90.95%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$417 BGN 693

69.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$5,466 BGN 9,093

189.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$61.2 BGN 102

-4.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$34.99 BGN 58.2

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$93.6 BGN 156

23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$107 BGN 178

-21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$147 BGN 245

325.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$228 BGN 380

95.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$381 BGN 634

435.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$359 BGN 597

316.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,369 BGN 2,278

154.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,166 BGN 1,940

120.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,301 BGN 2,164

-61.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.49

18.71%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Targovishte: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $147 in Targovishte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targovishte pays 160% 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 $42.00 in Targovishte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $196 per month, with Targovishte 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 Targovishte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targovishte is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 160% lower in Targovishte. 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 $147 in Targovishte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $417 in Targovishte. 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 $854 in Targovishte versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Targovishte but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Targovishte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targovishte 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 Targovishte 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 Targovishte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.