😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Szczecin versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,007 in Szczecin versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Szczecin versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Szczecin is roughly 11% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Szczecin is 5% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.33zł 34.08
$4.70฿154
98.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.78zł 182
$45.37฿1,483
9.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76zł 31.98
$8.43฿276
3.91%
Cappuccino
$3.33zł 12.15
$2.93฿95.7
13.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86zł 6.81
$0.69฿22.42
169.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41zł 5.16
$0.37฿12.00
281.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.32zł 12.13
$2.41฿78.7
37.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18zł 11.62
$3.72฿122
-14.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.96zł 3.51
$2.23฿73.0
-56.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.28zł 4.68
$1.83฿59.9
-30.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99zł 3.60
$2.17฿70.9
-54.38%
Eggs
$3.34zł 12.18
$2.21฿72.4
51.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.64zł 35.22
$19.74฿645
-51.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.39zł 23.33
$3.63฿119
76.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.30zł 48.58
$13.53฿442
-1.70%
Apples(1kg)
$0.89zł 3.26
$3.28฿107
-72.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78zł 6.50
$1.61฿52.7
10.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.39zł 5.09
$2.41฿78.7
-42.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.18zł 7.97
$2.08฿68.1
4.81%
Potato(1kg)
$0.89zł 3.24
$1.53฿49.97
-41.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07zł 3.90
$1.48฿48.41
-27.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03zł 3.77
$0.99฿32.32
4.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60zł 2.20
$0.51฿16.68
17.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.32zł 19.44
$4.41฿144
20.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.03zł 25.67
$19.38฿634
-63.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14zł 4.15
$1.78฿58.1
-35.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47zł 5.38
$2.71฿88.7
-45.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.82zł 3.01
$1.37฿44.83
-40.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.10zł 99.0
$11.39฿372
137.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.20zł 8.04
$3.02฿98.7
-27.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.97zł 3.55
$0.99฿32.51
-2.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.44zł 49.09
$14.10฿461
-4.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.67zł 6.10
$1.36฿44.55
22.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7Kzł 119.6K
$28.2K฿921.9K
16.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7Kzł 112.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-6.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$253zł 924
$122฿3,978
107.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.70zł 39.07
$13.57฿444
-21.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.06zł 62.3
$18.31฿599
-6.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.59zł 108
$60.2฿1,969
-50.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.99zł 58.4
$17.14฿560
-6.71%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91zł 25.23
$8.69฿284
-20.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$379zł 1,386
$693฿22.7K
-45.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,219zł 30.0K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-47.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4zł 206
$59.5฿1,946
-5.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.67zł 112
$34.77฿1,137
-11.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.4zł 265
$115฿3,746
-36.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1zł 311
$83.3฿2,723
2.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$657zł 2,399
$613฿20.0K
7.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$534zł 1,950
$437฿14.3K
22.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963zł 3,519
$2,094฿68.5K
-54.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$811zł 2,962
$1,509฿49.3K
-46.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,413zł 12.5K
$3,749฿122.6K
-8.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,566zł 9,374
$2,616฿85.5K
-1.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szczecin
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,660zł 6,064
$508฿16.6K
226.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.36
5.33
19.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Szczecin: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Szczecin and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Szczecin pays 227% 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: $50.0 in Szczecin vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $293, with Szczecin 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
Szczecin vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Szczecin?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Szczecin or Phuket?
Szczecin pays 227% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Szczecin and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Szczecin versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $379 in Szczecin versus $693 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 Szczecin and Phuket?
Shoppers in Szczecin pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Szczecin or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,408 in Szczecin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Szczecin. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Szczecin or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Szczecin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Szczecin or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Szczecin 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Szczecin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.