🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Pogradec versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,536 in Pogradec versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Pogradec versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Pogradec costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Pogradec25% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03ALL 656
$4.63฿151
73.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.74ALL 3,003
$46.84฿1,523
-21.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.91ALL 565
$8.84฿287
-21.83%
Cappuccino
$0.90ALL 73.7
$3.00฿97.4
-70.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62ALL 133
$0.74฿24.11
118.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73ALL 59.8
$0.37฿11.88
97.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.42ALL 116
$2.44฿79.3
-41.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55ALL 209
$3.61฿117
-29.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.04ALL 167
$2.26฿73.5
-9.73%
White Bread(500g)
$0.84ALL 68.7
$1.84฿59.8
-54.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94ALL 159
$2.24฿73.0
-13.39%
Eggs
$2.17ALL 177
$2.32฿75.3
-6.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.49ALL 612
$19.67฿639
-61.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.22ALL 345
$3.65฿119
15.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10ALL 1,071
$13.10฿426
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.15ALL 94.2
$3.39฿110
-66.08%
Banana(1kg)
$2.45ALL 201
$1.64฿53.4
49.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.39ALL 113
$2.41฿78.5
-42.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.21ALL 99.2
$2.03฿66.0
-40.39%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95ALL 78.0
$1.56฿50.6
-39.10%
Onion(1kg)
$0.92ALL 75.0
$1.50฿48.66
-38.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98ALL 80.4
$1.02฿33.30
-3.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72ALL 59.0
$0.49฿15.91
46.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00ALL 327
$4.45฿145
-10.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.21ALL 834
$18.88฿614
-45.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20ALL 97.7
$1.78฿57.7
-32.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79ALL 147
$2.75฿89.5
-34.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49ALL 39.77
$1.40฿45.54
-65.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.07ALL 1,559
$11.48฿373
66.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52ALL 288
$3.12฿101
12.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54ALL 126
$1.00฿32.48
54.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.85ALL 1,459
$14.09฿458
26.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.19ALL 179
$1.35฿43.93
62.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7KALL 2.8M
$27.2K฿883.7K
27.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KALL 2.1M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-21.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$66.6ALL 5,440
$125฿4,063
-46.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.43ALL 1,425
$13.57฿441
28.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.65ALL 1,279
$18.52฿602
-15.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.8ALL 4,556
$61.5฿1,999
-9.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.57ALL 2,089
$16.84฿547
51.84%
Cinema Ticket
$8.20ALL 670
$9.19฿299
-10.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$95.4ALL 7,800
$698฿22.7K
-86.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.6K฿506.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.50ALL 3,882
$57.8฿1,878
-17.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.8ALL 4,318
$35.24฿1,146
49.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.4ALL 7,632
$113฿3,677
-17.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140ALL 11.4K
$86.4฿2,808
61.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$442ALL 36.1K
$616฿20.0K
-28.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$342ALL 28.0K
$446฿14.5K
-23.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618ALL 50.5K
$2,048฿66.6K
-69.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$431ALL 35.2K
$1,492฿48.5K
-71.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,599ALL 130.7K
$3,779฿122.8K
-57.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,462ALL 119.5K
$2,649฿86.1K
-44.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$464ALL 38.0K
$524฿17.0K
-11.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.33
-24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pogradec: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Pogradec and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 13% 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: $37.00 in Pogradec vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $292 per month, with Pogradec 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
Pogradec vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pogradec?
Pogradec is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Pogradec or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 13% 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 Pogradec and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $442 in Pogradec versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $95.4 in Pogradec versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Pogradec and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Pogradec or Phuket?
At $1,006 in Pogradec versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pogradec but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pogradec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Pogradec or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Pogradec 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, Pogradec or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Pogradec and Phuket 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 Pogradec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.