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: $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Targu Jiu versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Targu Jiu versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Targu Jiu 25% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 RON 64.6

$4.66 ฿154

206.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 RON 279

$32.22 ฿1,065

91.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.15

$8.68 ฿287

-13.13%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.23

$2.90 ฿95.8

23.45%

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

$1.13 RON 5.12

$0.84 ฿27.89

34.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.70

$0.49 ฿16.16

381.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 RON 17.53

$2.48 ฿82.0

56.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 RON 20.61

$3.73 ฿123

21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.89 ฿62.3

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.41

$1.41 ฿46.54

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.62 ฿53.6

6.17%

Eggs

$2.88 RON 13.02

$2.24 ฿74.1

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 RON 36.06

$19.84 ฿656

-59.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 RON 13.88

$3.48 ฿115

-12.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 RON 34.33

$11.37 ฿376

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$2.90 ฿95.8

-65.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.72 ฿57.0

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.48

$2.27 ฿75.1

-46.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.90

$2.13 ฿70.4

-38.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.71

$1.47 ฿48.72

-44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$1.42 ฿46.92

-46.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 3.09

$1.10 ฿36.25

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 RON 2.43

$0.60 ฿19.76

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 RON 24.65

$4.31 ฿142

26.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.09 RON 13.98

$18.60 ฿615

-83.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$1.80 ฿59.5

-52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.09

$2.97 ฿98.0

-62.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RON 3.70

$2.25 ฿74.2

-63.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.14 RON 91.2

$23.49 ฿776

-14.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$3.10 ฿102

-78.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.13

$1.08 ฿35.56

-36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 RON 30.34

$3.87 ฿128

73.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.43 ฿47.16

10.49%

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

$30.1K RON 136.5K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

8.45%

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

$28.4K RON 128.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

5.07%

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

$201 RON 909

$105 ฿3,462

91.49%

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

$6.28 RON 28.43

$11.39 ฿376

-44.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.92 RON 44.92

$17.54 ฿580

-43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 RON 180

$54.3 ฿1,795

-26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 RON 89.2

$11.44 ฿378

72.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.98

$7.78 ฿257

13.50%

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

$648 RON 2,934

$576 ฿19.0K

12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 RON 32.5K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-37.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 RON 242

$63.6 ฿2,103

-16.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 RON 119

$29.10 ฿961

-9.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 RON 246

$96.2 ฿3,179

-43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 RON 395

$90.0 ฿2,974

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,630

$733 ฿24.2K

-50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 RON 1,131

$501 ฿16.5K

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 RON 2,267

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-76.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 RON 1,888

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-66.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 RON 8,679

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-45.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,268 RON 5,741

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-51.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 RON 2,515

$508 ฿16.8K

9.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

5.57

22.44%

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

Last update for Targu Jiu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Targu Jiu and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targu Jiu pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Targu Jiu vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $275, 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $360 in Targu Jiu versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $648 in Targu Jiu versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,265 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 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.