Cost of Living Comparison Between Umag and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Umag and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,483 in Umag versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,295 in Umag versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,108 in Umag versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Umag is roughly 20% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Umag is 11% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.50âŽ9.82
$4.63āļŋ151
148.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1âŽ58.2
$46.84āļŋ1,523
45.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.00âŽ7.69
$8.84āļŋ287
1.81%
Cappuccino
$2.37âŽ2.03
$3.00āļŋ97.4
-21.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17âŽ2.71
$0.74āļŋ24.11
328.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35âŽ2.00
$0.37āļŋ11.88
535.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.60âŽ3.08
$2.44āļŋ79.3
47.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65âŽ3.97
$3.61āļŋ117
28.81%
ð Groceries & Markets
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29âŽ1.11
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-42.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90âŽ1.62
$1.84āļŋ59.8
3.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.67âŽ2.28
$2.24āļŋ73.0
19.20%
Eggs
$3.79âŽ3.24
$2.32āļŋ75.3
63.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.87âŽ9.28
$19.67āļŋ639
-44.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.65âŽ8.24
$3.65āļŋ119
164.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.86âŽ10.98
$13.10āļŋ426
-1.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.85âŽ1.58
$3.39āļŋ110
-45.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73âŽ1.48
$1.64āļŋ53.4
5.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05âŽ1.75
$2.41āļŋ78.5
-14.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.06âŽ2.62
$2.03āļŋ66.0
50.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.42âŽ1.21
$1.56āļŋ50.6
-8.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45âŽ1.24
$1.50āļŋ48.66
-3.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33âŽ1.13
$1.02āļŋ33.30
30.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32âŽ1.12
$0.49āļŋ15.91
169.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.62âŽ4.80
$4.45āļŋ145
26.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.45âŽ7.22
$18.88āļŋ614
-55.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86âŽ1.59
$1.78āļŋ57.7
4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30âŽ1.97
$2.75āļŋ89.5
-16.36%
ð Getting Around
Umag
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.72âŽ1.47
$1.40āļŋ45.54
22.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.23âŽ36.92
$11.48āļŋ373
276.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.37âŽ2.03
$3.12āļŋ101
-24.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05âŽ0.90
$1.00āļŋ32.48
5.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.18âŽ8.69
$14.09āļŋ458
-27.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.80âŽ1.54
$1.35āļŋ43.93
33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1KâŽ29.1K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
25.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KâŽ22.6K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-19.62%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$207âŽ177
$125āļŋ4,063
65.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.20âŽ17.25
$13.57āļŋ441
48.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.86âŽ27.20
$18.52āļŋ602
72.03%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.7âŽ44.17
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-15.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.81âŽ12.65
$16.84āļŋ547
-12.05%
Cinema Ticket
$8.52âŽ7.27
$9.19āļŋ299
-7.29%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$242âŽ207
$698āļŋ22.7K
-65.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.1KâŽ11.2K
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-16.13%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101âŽ86.6
$57.8āļŋ1,878
75.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.08âŽ34.23
$35.24āļŋ1,146
13.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.8âŽ81.8
$113āļŋ3,677
-15.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116âŽ99.5
$86.4āļŋ2,808
34.85%
ð Accommodation & Living
Umag
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$666âŽ569
$616āļŋ20.0K
8.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468âŽ399
$446āļŋ14.5K
4.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,048âŽ895
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-48.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$768âŽ656
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-48.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,360âŽ3,724
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
15.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,239âŽ2,766
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
22.27%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Umag
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.72
5.33
-30.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Umag: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Umag and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $68.0 in Umag vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $292, with Umag 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
Umag vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Umag?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,224 in Umag and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Umag and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Umag versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $242 in Umag versus $698 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 Umag and Phuket?
Shoppers in Umag pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Umag or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,483 in Umag, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Umag. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Umag or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Umag, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Umag or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Umag 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 â expenses run 20% less than in Umag. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.