😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $858 in Trebinje.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,372 in Trebinje.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,886 in Trebinje.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than Trebinje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Trebinje36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$8.23BAM 13.83
-42.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$28.49BAM 47.87
59.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$8.76BAM 14.72
-3.77%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.15BAM 1.93
154.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.73BAM 2.90
-60.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.20BAM 2.02
-69.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.00BAM 3.37
20.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$1.78BAM 3.00
108.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.21BAM 2.04
84.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.91BAM 1.53
101.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.65BAM 2.77
31.52%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.70BAM 4.54
-18.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.50BAM 15.96
107.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.78BAM 9.72
-37.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$12.19BAM 20.48
10.99%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.28BAM 2.15
156.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.56BAM 2.63
3.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.16BAM 1.94
107.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.61BAM 2.71
29.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.95BAM 1.59
61.05%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.25BAM 2.10
18.40%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.87BAM 1.46
13.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.67BAM 1.13
-23.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$3.56BAM 5.98
23.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$5.98BAM 10.04
224.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.76BAM 1.27
134.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.08BAM 1.82
150.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.76BAM 2.95
-22.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$34.93BAM 58.7
-67.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$1.15BAM 1.94
162.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.51BAM 0.86
94.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$8.60BAM 14.46
63.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.46BAM 2.46
-6.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$28.3KBAM 47.6K
-0.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.8KBAM 45.0K
22.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$85.9BAM 144
41.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$19.10BAM 32.10
-28.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$23.44BAM 39.38
-21.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$33.46BAM 56.2
79.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$10.81BAM 18.16
58.56%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$2.87BAM 4.82
202.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$116BAM 195
498.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$3,670BAM 6,167
327.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$74.0BAM 124
-19.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$36.02BAM 60.5
-3.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$90.0BAM 151
27.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$120BAM 201
-30.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$299BAM 503
104.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$179BAM 301
144.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$523BAM 879
300.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$383BAM 643
294.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$2,603BAM 4,374
44.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$1,814BAM 3,048
44.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trebinje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$887BAM 1,491
-42.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.02
6.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Trebinje: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $299 in Trebinje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trebinje pays 75% 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 $28.00 in Trebinje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $196 per month, with Trebinje 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 Trebinje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trebinje cheaper than Phuket?
Trebinje is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Trebinje?
On paper, Trebinje earns 75% 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 Trebinje?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $299 in Trebinje. 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 $116 in Trebinje. 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 Trebinje?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Trebinje?
At $858 in Trebinje versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Trebinje but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Trebinje the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Trebinje more family-friendly?
For families, Trebinje 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Trebinje?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Trebinje 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 Trebinje 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.