🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Pogradec versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,393 in Pogradec versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,938 in Pogradec versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Pogradec costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Pogradec38% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.19ALL 805
$4.41฿147
131.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.39ALL 3,112
$32.26฿1,077
22.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.74ALL 611
$8.93฿298
-13.33%
Cappuccino
$1.57ALL 124
$2.90฿96.6
-45.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94ALL 153
$0.88฿29.38
120.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65ALL 51.1
$0.48฿16.06
35.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.47ALL 116
$2.35฿78.5
-37.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69ALL 213
$3.72฿124
-27.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05ALL 162
$1.87฿62.3
9.63%
White Bread(500g)
$0.92ALL 72.7
$1.47฿48.94
-37.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.10ALL 166
$1.55฿51.8
35.48%
Eggs
$2.21ALL 175
$2.10฿70.1
5.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.41ALL 664
$19.59฿654
-57.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.49ALL 355
$3.42฿114
31.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.24ALL 1,125
$11.38฿380
25.13%
Apples(1kg)
$1.23ALL 97.5
$2.98฿99.6
-58.72%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35ALL 186
$1.68฿56.2
39.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.55ALL 122
$2.21฿73.7
-29.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.24ALL 98.2
$2.16฿72.1
-42.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.02ALL 80.9
$1.52฿50.9
-32.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.04ALL 81.9
$1.34฿44.67
-22.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03ALL 81.3
$1.13฿37.67
-8.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85ALL 67.1
$0.55฿18.24
54.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28ALL 338
$4.26฿142
0.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.13ALL 800
$19.09฿637
-46.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23ALL 96.8
$1.78฿59.4
-30.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92ALL 152
$2.78฿92.9
-30.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52ALL 41.43
$2.23฿74.4
-76.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.24ALL 1,520
$22.74฿759
-15.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.70ALL 292
$3.03฿101
22.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92ALL 152
$1.02฿34.15
88.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.83ALL 1,487
$3.89฿130
384.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24ALL 177
$1.49฿49.77
50.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1KALL 2.7M
$26.6K฿887.3K
28.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KALL 2.0M
$27.0K฿902.2K
-4.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.4ALL 5,011
$102฿3,420
-38.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.30ALL 1,288
$11.33฿378
43.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.24ALL 1,362
$17.40฿581
-0.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.85ALL 2,832
$52.1฿1,738
-31.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00ALL 1,501
$11.07฿370
71.64%
Cinema Ticket
$9.05ALL 715
$7.69฿257
17.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$101ALL 7,962
$561฿18.7K
-82.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$11.5K฿384.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9ALL 4,020
$63.0฿2,104
-19.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0ALL 4,499
$29.52฿986
92.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101ALL 8,000
$98.0฿3,272
3.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148ALL 11.7K
$88.5฿2,954
67.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$185ALL 14.6K
$738฿24.6K
-74.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$126ALL 9,954
$482฿16.1K
-73.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$378ALL 29.9K
$2,107฿70.3K
-82.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$248ALL 19.6K
$1,226฿40.9K
-79.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,604ALL 126.7K
$3,617฿120.7K
-55.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,534ALL 121.2K
$2,603฿86.9K
-41.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pogradec
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$490ALL 38.7K
$494฿16.5K
-0.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.57
-10.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pogradec: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in Pogradec and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 1% 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: $39.00 in Pogradec vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $274, with Pogradec 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
Pogradec vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pogradec?
Pogradec is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Pogradec or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Phuket. 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: $185 in Pogradec versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $101 in Pogradec versus $561 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Pogradec or in Phuket?
At $847 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 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.