Cost of Living Comparison Between Rumia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rumia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,474 in Rumia versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,154 in Rumia versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,834 in Rumia versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Rumia is roughly 18% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rumia is 10% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.73 zł 48.31

$4.55 ฿153

179.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.91 zł 159

$46.18 ฿1,553

-9.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 zł 25.03

$8.84 ฿297

-25.34%

Cappuccino

$3.58 zł 13.58

$3.06 ฿103

16.99%

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

$1.91 zł 7.26

$0.73 ฿24.40

161.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 zł 6.12

$0.40 ฿13.39

302.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 zł 12.27

$2.43 ฿81.8

32.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 zł 13.70

$3.78 ฿127

-4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 4.05

$2.26 ฿76.0

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 zł 5.16

$1.81 ฿60.9

-24.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 zł 5.21

$2.25 ฿75.8

-39.11%

Eggs

$3.88 zł 14.74

$2.25 ฿75.5

72.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 zł 34.88

$19.51 ฿656

-52.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 zł 25.05

$3.65 ฿123

80.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 zł 40.73

$13.05 ฿439

-17.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$3.23 ฿109

-66.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.76

$1.62 ฿54.4

9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 zł 6.57

$2.38 ฿80.1

-27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 zł 10.98

$2.03 ฿68.1

42.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 zł 3.64

$1.53 ฿51.6

-37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 zł 4.30

$1.50 ฿50.5

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 zł 4.90

$0.98 ฿32.91

31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 zł 4.05

$0.52 ฿17.39

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 zł 19.08

$4.44 ฿149

13.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 zł 26.51

$18.32 ฿616

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$1.86 ฿62.7

-41.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 zł 6.13

$2.68 ฿90.1

-39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 zł 5.15

$1.41 ฿47.46

-3.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.56 zł 131

$11.70 ฿393

195.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 zł 8.27

$3.11 ฿105

-29.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 zł 2.72

$1.04 ฿35.06

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.74 zł 40.77

$14.11 ฿474

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 zł 6.94

$1.31 ฿44.10

39.69%

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

$33.7K zł 128.0K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

21.25%

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

$30.3K zł 115.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-8.65%

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

$274 zł 1,038

$122 ฿4,118

123.52%

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

$8.48 zł 32.18

$13.59 ฿457

-37.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.60 zł 63.0

$18.70 ฿629

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 zł 137

$60.5 ฿2,034

-40.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.83 zł 75.3

$16.98 ฿571

16.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 zł 28.78

$9.07 ฿305

-16.32%

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

$344 zł 1,304

$706 ฿23.8K

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,049 zł 30.5K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-49.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 zł 341

$58.6 ฿1,969

53.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 zł 163

$35.36 ฿1,189

21.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 zł 310

$115 ฿3,883

-29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 zł 355

$83.7 ฿2,816

11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 zł 2,429

$626 ฿21.0K

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 zł 1,887

$445 ฿15.0K

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 zł 3,662

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-52.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 zł 3,076

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-45.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,149 zł 11.9K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-9.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 zł 8,821

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,491 zł 5,658

$500 ฿16.8K

198.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.33

26.64%

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

Last update for Rumia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $640 in Rumia and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rumia pays 198% 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: $42.00 in Rumia vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $289 per month, with Rumia 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

Rumia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 198% higher in Rumia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $640 in Rumia versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $344 in Rumia versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Rumia pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,474 in Rumia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rumia. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rumia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rumia 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Rumia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.