Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Targu Jiu versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,231 in Targu Jiu versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Targu Jiu 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.84 RON 63.4

$4.53 ฿152

205.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 RON 310

$46.36 ฿1,558

46.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 RON 37.19

$8.65 ฿291

-6.13%

Cappuccino

$3.32 RON 15.18

$3.09 ฿104

7.44%

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

$1.13 RON 5.15

$0.68 ฿22.79

66.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 RON 11.00

$0.37 ฿12.38

548.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 RON 15.33

$2.42 ฿81.2

38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RON 18.15

$3.81 ฿128

3.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.11

$2.18 ฿73.2

-18.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$1.82 ฿61.1

-21.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.48

$2.18 ฿73.2

-15.14%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.83

$2.24 ฿75.1

34.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 RON 36.47

$19.93 ฿670

-60.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 RON 14.46

$3.64 ฿122

-13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 RON 35.20

$13.56 ฿456

-43.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$3.29 ฿111

-69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.21

$1.69 ฿56.6

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.97

$2.33 ฿78.4

-44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.42

$2.03 ฿68.1

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.14

$1.60 ฿53.8

-43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.48

$1.49 ฿50.2

-34.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 3.02

$1.01 ฿34.02

-34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 RON 2.74

$0.48 ฿16.02

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 25.92

$4.45 ฿150

27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.12 RON 14.30

$18.63 ฿626

-83.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.79 ฿60.0

-46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.34

$2.80 ฿94.0

-58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.21

$1.42 ฿47.69

-50.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 RON 91.4

$11.33 ฿381

76.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.07

$3.09 ฿104

-78.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$1.04 ฿35.03

-41.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 RON 30.83

$13.63 ฿458

-50.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.31 ฿44.03

29.01%

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

$29.2K RON 133.6K

$27.3K ฿916.6K

6.99%

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

$30.7K RON 140.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-7.57%

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

$178 RON 814

$123 ฿4,138

44.34%

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

$6.63 RON 30.35

$13.81 ฿464

-51.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.75

$18.52 ฿622

-44.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 RON 187

$60.4 ฿2,028

-32.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.42 RON 88.9

$16.80 ฿564

15.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 RON 42.25

$8.89 ฿299

3.82%

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

$657 RON 3,009

$687 ฿23.1K

-4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K RON 67.6K

$15.6K ฿522.5K

-5.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 RON 248

$57.6 ฿1,936

-5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.00 RON 128

$34.66 ฿1,165

-19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.3 RON 262

$115 ฿3,861

-50.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 RON 430

$84.9 ฿2,853

10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,721

$618 ฿20.7K

-39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 RON 1,167

$443 ฿14.9K

-42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 RON 2,385

$2,047 ฿68.8K

-74.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,980

$1,506 ฿50.6K

-71.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,646 RON 12.1K

$3,568 ฿119.9K

-25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 RON 2,535

$503 ฿16.9K

10.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

5.33

33.21%

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

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Targu Jiu and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targu Jiu pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Targu Jiu vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $169 vs $292, with Targu Jiu 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

Targu Jiu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Jiu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Targu Jiu, 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: $376 in Targu Jiu versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $657 in Targu Jiu versus $687 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Jiu 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, Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.