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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,141 in Vlore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Vlore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,200 in Vlore.

Living in Phuket is roughly 11% more expensive than in Vlore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Vlore 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.37 ALL 761

-52.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$37.70 ALL 3,063

20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.86 ALL 558

27.70%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.86 ALL 151

59.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.64 ALL 133

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.87 ALL 70.9

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.43 ALL 197

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.21 ALL 261

16.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.03 ALL 165

5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.93 ALL 75.2

95.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.97 ALL 160

10.66%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.91 ALL 237

-22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.60 ALL 780

108.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.68 ALL 624

-52.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.17 ALL 1,070

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.83 ALL 148

77.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.40 ALL 195

-31.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.66 ALL 135

40.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.40 ALL 114

47.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.00 ALL 81.6

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.23 ALL 99.9

18.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.15 ALL 93.7

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.72 ALL 58.7

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.17 ALL 339

4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.19 ALL 828

82.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.75 ALL 142

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.83 ALL 149

44.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.46 ALL 37.37

208.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$23.85 ALL 1,938

-51.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.54 ALL 287

-10.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$4.75 ALL 386

-78.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$17.94 ALL 1,457

-22.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$2.16 ALL 176

-37.96%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

-21.13%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

29.84%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$67.1 ALL 5,452

83.38%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.69 ALL 1,437

-22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.73 ALL 1,278

16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$56.5 ALL 4,591

7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$27.40 ALL 2,226

-37.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.39 ALL 682

5.72%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$94.7 ALL 7,696

626.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$46.26 ALL 3,758

28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$52.8 ALL 4,293

-34.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$95.4 ALL 7,747

20.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$141 ALL 11.5K

-40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$482 ALL 39.2K

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$367 ALL 29.8K

21.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$622 ALL 50.5K

227.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$450 ALL 36.6K

232.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,074 ALL 168.5K

66.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,376 ALL 111.8K

83.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$852 ALL 69.2K

-42.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vlore: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $482 in Vlore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vlore pays 73% 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 $38.00 in Vlore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $244 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Vlore. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $482 in Vlore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $94.7 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 $1,141 in Vlore versus $1,264 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 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.