Cost of Living Comparison Between Strumica and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Strumica and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Strumica versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Strumica versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,640 in Strumica versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Strumica costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Strumica 34% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MKD 194

$4.66 ฿154

-21.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 MKD 1,233

$32.22 ฿1,065

-27.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 MKD 203

$8.68 ฿287

-55.76%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MKD 84.4

$2.90 ฿95.8

-44.83%

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

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$0.84 ฿27.89

70.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 63.9

$0.49 ฿16.16

146.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MKD 103

$2.48 ฿82.0

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 MKD 109

$3.73 ฿123

-45.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.89 ฿62.3

-31.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.56

$1.41 ฿46.54

-41.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MKD 95.9

$1.62 ฿53.6

11.73%

Eggs

$2.31 MKD 122

$2.24 ฿74.1

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 MKD 455

$19.84 ฿656

-56.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 MKD 334

$3.48 ฿115

81.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 548

$11.37 ฿376

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MKD 36.57

$2.90 ฿95.8

-76.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$1.72 ฿57.0

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$2.27 ฿75.1

-44.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MKD 113

$2.13 ฿70.4

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.71

$1.47 ฿48.72

-40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.32

$1.42 ฿46.92

-40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.12

$1.10 ฿36.25

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MKD 32.97

$0.60 ฿19.76

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$4.31 ฿142

-35.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 MKD 304

$18.60 ฿615

-69.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.52

$1.80 ฿59.5

-47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$2.97 ฿98.0

-57.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.44

$2.25 ฿74.2

-65.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.5

$3.10 ฿102

-64.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$1.08 ฿35.56

-39.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 MKD 426

$3.87 ฿128

108.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MKD 84.3

$1.43 ฿47.16

11.89%

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

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

31.85%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

6.12%

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

$154 MKD 8,154

$105 ฿3,462

47.27%

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

$13.20 MKD 697

$11.39 ฿376

15.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.60 MKD 983

$17.54 ฿580

6.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 MKD 1,079

$54.3 ฿1,795

-62.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 MKD 374

$7.78 ฿257

-9.13%

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

$383 MKD 20.2K

$576 ฿19.0K

-33.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,508 MKD 291.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-52.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 MKD 4,842

$63.6 ฿2,103

44.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 MKD 2,078

$29.10 ฿961

35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MKD 5,810

$96.2 ฿3,179

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MKD 5,024

$90.0 ฿2,974

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.0K

$733 ฿24.2K

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MKD 12.7K

$501 ฿16.5K

-52.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MKD 26.7K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-76.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 MKD 15.6K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-76.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 MKD 81.1K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-56.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MKD 53.3K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-61.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 MKD 34.5K

$508 ฿16.8K

28.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-28.19%

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

Last update for Strumica: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $323 in Strumica and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Strumica vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $275 per month, with Strumica 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

Strumica vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Strumica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Strumica, 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: $323 in Strumica versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $383 in Strumica versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Strumica – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $910 in Strumica versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Strumica but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Strumica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Strumica 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, Strumica 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 Strumica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.