Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $885 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Sveti Nikole versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,713 in Sveti Nikole versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sveti Nikole costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sveti Nikole 34% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 MKD 303

$4.55 ฿153

24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 MKD 1,485

$46.18 ฿1,554

-40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 275

$8.84 ฿298

-41.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 MKD 91.9

$3.06 ฿103

-44.12%

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

$1.61 MKD 86.3

$0.73 ฿24.42

120.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 66.2

$0.40 ฿13.40

207.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MKD 124

$2.43 ฿81.8

-4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$3.78 ฿127

-27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MKD 66.8

$2.26 ฿76.0

-44.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 39.37

$1.81 ฿60.9

-59.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.7

$2.25 ฿75.8

-24.89%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 110

$2.25 ฿75.6

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 MKD 459

$19.51 ฿656

-56.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MKD 339

$3.65 ฿123

73.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MKD 739

$13.05 ฿439

5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.4

$3.23 ฿109

-66.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.6

$1.62 ฿54.4

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 67.0

$2.38 ฿80.2

-47.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.5

$2.03 ฿68.2

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MKD 50.8

$1.53 ฿51.6

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.76

$1.50 ฿50.5

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MKD 32.50

$0.98 ฿32.93

-37.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.75

$0.52 ฿17.40

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 165

$4.44 ฿149

-30.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 MKD 355

$18.32 ฿616

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.4

$1.86 ฿62.7

-48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.6

$2.68 ฿90.2

-43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 34.09

$1.41 ฿47.49

-54.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.57 MKD 1,103

$11.70 ฿394

75.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MKD 72.0

$3.11 ฿105

-56.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.71

$1.04 ฿35.08

-51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MKD 359

$14.11 ฿475

-52.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MKD 76.1

$1.31 ฿44.13

8.40%

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

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

14.09%

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

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-11.21%

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

$146 MKD 7,851

$122 ฿4,120

19.54%

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

$17.61 MKD 944

$13.59 ฿457

29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.28 MKD 820

$18.70 ฿629

-18.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.21 MKD 1,406

$60.5 ฿2,035

-56.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MKD 246

$9.07 ฿305

-49.50%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$706 ฿23.8K

-68.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,208 MKD 64.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-92.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,085

$58.6 ฿1,970

30.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.34 MKD 2,164

$35.36 ฿1,190

14.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 MKD 4,079

$115 ฿3,885

-34.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,050

$83.7 ฿2,818

34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 15.0K

$626 ฿21.1K

-55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.3K

$445 ฿15.0K

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MKD 30.7K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-71.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-79.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,602 MKD 85.9K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-54.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,274 MKD 68.3K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-50.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$561 MKD 30.1K

$500 ฿16.8K

12.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

5.33

-14.82%

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

Last update for Sveti Nikole: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Sveti Nikole and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Sveti Nikole vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $289 per month, with Sveti Nikole 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

Sveti Nikole vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sveti Nikole is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Sveti Nikole, 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: $280 in Sveti Nikole versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Sveti Nikole versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $885 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sveti Nikole but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sveti Nikole the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sveti Nikole 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, Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.