🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,785 in Trbovlje.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,595 in Trbovlje.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,405 in Trbovlje.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Trbovlje, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Trbovlje is 31% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$11.55€10.06
-61.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$58.1€50.6
-44.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$9.22€8.03
-3.15%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$3.03€2.64
-4.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$3.40€2.96
-74.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$2.22€1.93
-78.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$3.69€3.21
-36.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$4.68€4.07
-20.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.36€1.18
37.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$2.00€1.74
-26.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$2.99€2.61
-48.16%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$3.97€3.46
-47.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$18.80€16.36
4.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$9.60€8.36
-64.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$15.09€13.13
-24.59%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$2.45€2.13
21.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$2.00€1.74
-16.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$2.48€2.16
-10.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$3.88€3.38
-44.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$1.77€1.54
-14.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$2.00€1.74
-33.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$1.71€1.48
-33.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$1.10€0.96
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$6.15€5.35
-30.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$8.05€7.00
137.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$1.42€1.23
25.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$2.61€2.27
6.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$1.36€1.18
63.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
$31.74€27.63
-28.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$1.71€1.49
77.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$1.43€1.24
-28.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$29.17€25.39
-86.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$1.74€1.51
-14.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$30.6K€26.6K
-13.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$26.1K€22.7K
3.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$298€259
-65.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$11.75€10.23
-3.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$38.77€33.74
-55.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$52.4€45.59
-0.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
$23.41€20.38
-52.71%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$8.36€7.28
-8.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$523€455
7.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$11.5K€10.0K
-0.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$121€105
-47.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$38.19€33.24
-22.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$86.2€75.0
13.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$149€130
-40.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$821€715
-10.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$586€510
-17.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$1,183€1,030
78.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$990€862
23.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$3,421€2,978
5.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$3,407€2,966
-23.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trbovlje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.29
69.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Trbovlje: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $821 in Trbovlje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Trbovlje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $322 per month, with Phuket 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 Trbovlje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trbovlje cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,678 in Trbovlje to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Trbovlje?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $821 in Trbovlje. 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 $523 in Trbovlje. 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 Trbovlje?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Trbovlje. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Trbovlje?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,785 in Trbovlje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Trbovlje. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Trbovlje more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Trbovlje, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Trbovlje?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Trbovlje 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 45% less than in Trbovlje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.