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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $856 in Targovishte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,353 in Targovishte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,850 in Targovishte.

Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than Targovishte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$8.92 BGN 14.84

-47.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$42.05 BGN 70.0

7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.59 BGN 14.29

-1.86%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.39 BGN 3.98

22.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.97 BGN 4.93

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.01 BGN 5.00

23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.61 BGN 2.67

38.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.81 BGN 1.34

125.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.20 BGN 3.66

-1.36%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.80 BGN 4.66

-21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.67 BGN 14.43

127.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.75 BGN 9.57

-36.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.04 BGN 15.04

49.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.57 BGN 2.61

108.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.76 BGN 2.94

-8.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.67 BGN 2.77

44.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.44 BGN 4.05

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.99 BGN 1.65

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.11 BGN 1.84

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.90 BGN 1.50

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.61 BGN 1.01

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.61 BGN 6.00

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.92 BGN 9.85

227.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.74 BGN 1.23

140.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.08 BGN 1.80

150.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.92 BGN 1.52

48.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$26.16 BGN 43.52

-56.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.15 BGN 1.91

162.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.48 BGN 0.80

106.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.46 BGN 17.40

34.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-11.69%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$32.5K BGN 54.1K

-13.21%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.7K BGN 34.4K

59.18%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$57.8 BGN 96.2

110.48%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$8.81 BGN 14.66

54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$12.90 BGN 21.46

41.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$17.92 BGN 29.81

236.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$23.91 BGN 39.78

-28.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.59 BGN 7.63

89.32%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$422 BGN 702

64.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,531 BGN 9,202

183.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$61.6 BGN 102

-3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$35.83 BGN 59.6

-2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$94.8 BGN 158

20.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$105 BGN 175

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$150 BGN 249

309.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$230 BGN 382

90.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$386 BGN 643

442.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$353 BGN 588

327.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,451 BGN 2,414

158.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,167 BGN 1,941

124.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,296 BGN 2,156

-60.80%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Targovishte: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $150 in Targovishte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targovishte pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Targovishte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $197 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Targovishte earns 155% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $150 in Targovishte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $422 in Targovishte. 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 $856 in Targovishte versus $1,265 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 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.