Cost of Living Comparison Between Erdenet and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Erdenet and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $604 in Erdenet versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $852 in Erdenet versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,100 in Erdenet versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Erdenet costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erdenet 55% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

$4.55 ฿153

-14.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.70 MNT 106.4K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-35.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$8.84 ฿298

-49.77%

Cappuccino

$1.57 MNT 5,627

$3.06 ฿103

-48.69%

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

$0.64 MNT 2,283

$0.73 ฿24.42

-12.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MNT 1,419

$0.40 ฿13.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 MNT 4,367

$2.43 ฿81.8

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MNT 4,779

$3.78 ฿127

-64.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MNT 3,640

$2.26 ฿76.0

-54.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MNT 2,581

$1.81 ฿60.9

-60.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MNT 6,434

$2.25 ฿75.8

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,775

$2.25 ฿75.6

-3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

$19.51 ฿656

-49.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

$3.65 ฿123

37.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

$13.05 ฿439

-70.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 MNT 8,973

$3.23 ฿109

-22.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 MNT 7,527

$1.62 ฿54.4

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MNT 9,372

$2.38 ฿80.2

10.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MNT 7,244

$2.03 ฿68.2

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,595

$1.53 ฿51.6

-52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MNT 3,581

$1.50 ฿50.5

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MNT 3,022

$0.98 ฿32.93

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MNT 2,487

$0.52 ฿17.40

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

$4.44 ฿149

-34.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

$18.32 ฿616

-68.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MNT 4,139

$1.86 ฿62.7

-38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MNT 4,716

$2.68 ฿90.2

-50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 MNT 349

$1.41 ฿47.49

-92.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

$11.70 ฿394

-59.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 MNT 1,638

$3.11 ฿105

-85.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MNT 2,431

$1.04 ฿35.08

-34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$14.11 ฿475

-62.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MNT 3,299

$1.31 ฿44.13

-29.77%

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

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-55.94%

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

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-68.42%

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

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

$122 ฿4,120

-49.94%

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

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

$13.59 ฿457

-78.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

$18.70 ฿629

-20.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-58.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

$16.98 ฿572

-73.73%

Cinema Ticket

$2.63 MNT 9,411

$9.07 ฿305

-71.00%

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

$193 MNT 690.5K

$706 ฿23.8K

-72.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-83.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

$58.6 ฿1,970

-50.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

$35.36 ฿1,190

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MNT 312.3K

$115 ฿3,885

-24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MNT 320.7K

$83.7 ฿2,818

6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 MNT 622.1K

$626 ฿21.1K

-72.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MNT 470.1K

$445 ฿15.0K

-70.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 MNT 2.1M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-71.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$225 MNT 805.3K

$500 ฿16.8K

-55.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Erdenet and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 122% 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: $30.00 in Erdenet vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $289 per month, with Erdenet cheaper across the board.

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

Erdenet vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erdenet and Phuket differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($604 vs $1,250 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $174 in Erdenet versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $193 in Erdenet versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $604 in Erdenet versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Erdenet but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Erdenet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Erdenet 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 Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.