Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Astana: $1,131 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $910 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Astana
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,131
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Astana and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Astana vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Astana $1,131
  • Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Astana vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Astana $1,809
  • Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $2,486 per month in Astana vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Astana $2,486
  • Phuket $2,867

Astana is about 6% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Astana and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Astana 16% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.96 ₸4,953
$4.58 ฿153
139.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.48 ₸17.4K
$32.48 ฿1,086
18.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.62 ₸3,443
$8.55 ฿286
-10.88%
Cappuccino
$2.64 ₸1,191
$2.72 ฿91.0
-2.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₸500
$0.94 ฿31.25
18.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₸282
$0.49 ฿16.39
26.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.30 ₸586
$2.59 ฿86.6
-49.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ₸988
$3.83 ฿128
-42.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 ₸578
$1.74 ฿58.1
-26.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 ₸286
$1.43 ฿47.82
-55.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 ₸741
$1.53 ฿51.0
7.19%
Eggs
$2.23 ₸1,007
$2.17 ฿72.7
2.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.91 ₸5,383
$19.15 ฿640
-37.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.83 ₸2,637
$3.30 ฿110
76.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.46 ₸4,730
$11.14 ฿372
-6.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.82 ₸823
$2.95 ฿98.5
-38.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₸1,046
$1.68 ฿56.1
37.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ₸1,001
$2.30 ฿76.8
-3.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 ₸985
$2.13 ฿71.3
2.35%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₸297
$1.53 ฿51.1
-56.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ₸208
$1.36 ฿45.55
-66.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 ₸694
$1.12 ฿37.44
37.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸397
$0.55 ฿18.24
60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.15 ₸974
$4.26 ฿142
-49.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.24 ₸5,080
$18.19 ฿608
-38.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 ₸617
$1.74 ฿58.2
-21.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 ₸1,100
$2.79 ฿93.3
-12.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Astana
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₸103
$2.22 ฿74.1
-89.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.87 ₸7,625
$22.06 ฿737
-23.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 ₸998
$2.91 ฿97.3
-24.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 ₸509
$1.01 ฿33.79
11.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.53 ₸2,951
$3.83 ฿128
70.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.63 ₸285
$1.49 ฿49.85
-57.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K ₸11.1M
$26.7K ฿891.6K
-8.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K ₸13.9M
$26.7K ฿892.7K
14.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.5 ₸30.9K
$99.4 ฿3,321
-31.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.25 ₸4,633
$11.28 ฿377
-9.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.92 ₸8,101
$17.36 ฿580
3.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.5 ₸25.5K
$52.3 ฿1,747
8.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.43 ₸9,237
$10.85 ฿362
88.29%
Cinema Ticket
$6.52 ₸2,947
$7.57 ฿253
-13.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$369 ₸166.9K
$558 ฿18.7K
-33.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K ₸5.4M
$11.5K ฿383.9K
4.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.2 ₸29.9K
$62.9 ฿2,102
5.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.16 ₸20.9K
$28.58 ฿955
61.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₸53.5K
$96.1 ฿3,213
23.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₸58.9K
$88.1 ฿2,943
47.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Astana
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 ₸261.5K
$729 ฿24.4K
-20.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$389 ₸176.0K
$460 ฿15.4K
-15.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,146 ₸518.1K
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-45.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$767 ₸346.8K
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-37.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,523 ₸688.6K
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-55.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,124 ₸508.2K
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-54.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Astana
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$886 ₸400.7K
$493 ฿16.5K
79.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.5
5.57
178.28%

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

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Astana
$389
Phuket
$460 18.1% $71
Groceries & Markets
Astana
$227
Phuket
$268 17.7% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Astana
$162
Phuket
$124 23.6% $38
Eating Out
Astana
$160
Phuket
$121 24.1% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Astana
$97
Phuket
$128 32.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Astana
$70
Phuket
$67 3% $2.1
Getting Around
Astana
$26
Phuket
$39 51.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Astana versus $729 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Astana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Astana versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Astana vs $268 in Phuket – so Astana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Astana
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
23:48 11:48 PM
00:48 12:48 AM
1 h ahead of Astana
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
814,400 Capital
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Astana Phuket 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Astana
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Astana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Astana and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,131 in Astana, $1,207 in Phuket – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Astana compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Astana and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Astana and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Astana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Astana and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Astana and $558 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Astana, where all-in costs run around $1,131, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Astana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Astana and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,131 in Astana to $1,207 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Astana or Phuket safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Astana and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Astana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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