🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,388 in Zgorzelec.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,057 in Zgorzelec.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,725 in Zgorzelec.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Zgorzelec is 4% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$9.32zł 33.98
-49.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$48.63zł 177
-6.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$8.17zł 29.78
3.18%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$3.28zł 11.97
-10.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.92zł 3.36
-25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.68zł 6.14
-77.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.59zł 5.80
51.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.18zł 7.96
70.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.01zł 3.67
120.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.31zł 4.77
39.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.65zł 6.03
31.52%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$3.23zł 11.80
-31.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.09zł 36.80
95.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$6.50zł 23.72
-44.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$11.78zł 42.95
14.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$0.92zł 3.35
256.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.66zł 6.04
-3.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.76zł 6.43
36.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.61zł 5.88
29.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.70zł 2.56
118.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.15zł 4.20
28.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.31zł 4.76
-24.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.66zł 2.39
-22.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$4.87zł 17.76
-9.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$8.26zł 30.11
134.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.91zł 3.33
95.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.55zł 5.66
74.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.11zł 4.04
23.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$32.45zł 118
-64.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$2.13zł 7.75
41.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.90zł 3.27
10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$10.79zł 39.33
30.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.71zł 6.22
-20.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$33.2Kzł 121.0K
-15.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$32.4Kzł 118.0K
1.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$277zł 1,011
-56.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$10.07zł 36.73
34.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$17.44zł 63.6
4.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$35.85zł 131
67.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$19.48zł 71.0
-12.01%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$7.62zł 27.79
14.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$409zł 1,490
69.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$6,725zł 24.5K
133.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$91.5zł 334
-34.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$37.26zł 136
-6.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$93.3zł 340
22.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$105zł 383
-20.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$660zł 2,406
-7.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$491zł 1,790
-10.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$984zł 3,589
112.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$801zł 2,922
88.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$2,951zł 10.8K
27.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,634zł 9,605
-0.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Zgorzelec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,469zł 5,355
-65.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.8
-21.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Zgorzelec: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $660 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Zgorzelec pays 189% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Zgorzelec. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $212, with Zgorzelec cheaper for home cooking.
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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zgorzelec cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Zgorzelec?
On paper, Zgorzelec earns 189% 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 Zgorzelec?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $660 in Zgorzelec. 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 $409 in Zgorzelec. 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 Zgorzelec?
Shoppers in Zgorzelec pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Zgorzelec?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,388 in Zgorzelec, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Zgorzelec. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Zgorzelec more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zgorzelec, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Zgorzelec?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Zgorzelec 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 10% less than in Zgorzelec. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.