Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vlore Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vlore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,123 in Vlore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,688 in Vlore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,252 in Vlore.

Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than Vlore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Vlore 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$9.37 ALL 766

-51.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$37.73 ALL 3,083

23.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.21 ALL 589

17.48%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.88 ALL 153

61.17%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.65 ALL 135

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.88 ALL 71.6

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.42 ALL 198

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.24 ALL 265

12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.00 ALL 163

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.86 ALL 69.9

120.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.04 ALL 167

7.84%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.89 ALL 236

-23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.10 ALL 825

97.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.73 ALL 632

-52.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.08 ALL 1,069

1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.88 ALL 153

71.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.47 ALL 202

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.73 ALL 141

38.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.39 ALL 113

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.06 ALL 86.5

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.24 ALL 101

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.14 ALL 92.9

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.72 ALL 58.8

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.15 ALL 339

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.89 ALL 808

89.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.70 ALL 139

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.83 ALL 149

50.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.48 ALL 39.61

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$23.66 ALL 1,933

-51.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.55 ALL 290

-11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$4.65 ALL 380

-77.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$17.58 ALL 1,436

-21.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.19 ALL 179

-38.81%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

-18.65%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

35.99%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$67.4 ALL 5,509

83.31%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.58 ALL 1,437

-23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.63 ALL 1,277

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$56.6 ALL 4,624

9.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$28.20 ALL 2,304

-38.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.39 ALL 686

8.94%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$92.8 ALL 7,580

657.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$46.29 ALL 3,782

28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$52.1 ALL 4,257

-32.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$94.5 ALL 7,718

22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$144 ALL 11.8K

-41.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$483 ALL 39.5K

27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$372 ALL 30.4K

16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$614 ALL 50.2K

235.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$450 ALL 36.7K

236.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,062 ALL 168.5K

76.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,380 ALL 112.8K

90.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$843 ALL 68.9K

-39.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vlore: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $483 in Vlore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vlore pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Vlore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $245 per month, with Vlore 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 Vlore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vlore is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vlore earns 66% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $483 in Vlore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $92.8 in Vlore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,123 in Vlore versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vlore but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vlore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vlore 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 Vlore 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 Vlore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.