😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Korolyov versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,831 in Korolyov versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,403 in Korolyov versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Monthly costs are close between Korolyov and Phuket; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Korolyov8% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47₽984
$4.56฿150
151.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.0₽4,974
$32.62฿1,072
77.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.10₽609
$8.90฿293
-20.22%
Cappuccino
$2.37₽203
$2.80฿92.2
-15.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67₽57.5
$0.88฿28.93
-23.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42₽36.46
$0.49฿16.08
-14.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.80₽68.4
$2.39฿78.5
-66.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38₽118
$3.71฿122
-62.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18₽101
$1.79฿58.7
-34.08%
White Bread(500g)
$0.88₽75.6
$1.44฿47.38
-38.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14₽98.1
$1.58฿52.1
-27.85%
Eggs
$1.24₽106
$2.13฿69.9
-41.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.72₽1,005
$19.92฿655
-41.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.41₽464
$3.43฿113
57.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.77₽1,010
$11.33฿372
3.88%
Apples(1kg)
$1.92₽165
$2.95฿96.9
-34.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47₽126
$1.72฿56.6
-14.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.77₽152
$2.32฿76.4
-23.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.73₽234
$2.08฿68.4
31.25%
Potato(1kg)
$0.61₽52.5
$1.47฿48.33
-58.50%
Onion(1kg)
$0.64₽54.9
$1.36฿44.64
-52.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.94₽80.8
$1.10฿36.12
-14.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81₽69.2
$0.57฿18.89
42.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86₽245
$4.27฿140
-33.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.23₽792
$18.42฿605
-49.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12₽96.1
$1.87฿61.5
-40.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37₽203
$2.92฿96.0
-18.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.97₽83.6
$2.22฿72.9
-56.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿753
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.50₽129
$3.03฿99.6
-50.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70₽60.1
$1.07฿35.31
-34.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.05₽777
$3.93฿129
130.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84₽71.9
$1.49฿49.04
-43.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K₽1.8M
$27.1K฿891.7K
-24.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K₽2.3M
$27.5K฿902.3K
-2.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₽10.4K
$103฿3,379
17.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.54₽390
$10.99฿361
-58.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.95₽682
$17.51฿576
-54.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$140₽12.0K
$53.5฿1,760
161.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.18₽445
$7.48฿246
-30.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$758₽65.1K
$557฿18.3K
36.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$22.0K₽1.9M
$11.9K฿389.6K
85.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2₽4,998
$64.1฿2,106
-9.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.02₽2,490
$29.07฿956
-0.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.9₽8,054
$96.0฿3,154
-2.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$170₽14.6K
$90.3฿2,970
88.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$517₽44.4K
$730฿24.0K
-29.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$439₽37.7K
$500฿16.4K
-12.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$788₽67.6K
$2,090฿68.7K
-62.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$525₽45.1K
$1,209฿39.7K
-56.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,335₽200.4K
$3,596฿118.2K
-35.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,066₽177.3K
$2,512฿82.6K
-17.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Korolyov
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$954₽81.8K
$503฿16.5K
89.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17.5
5.57
214.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Korolyov: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Korolyov and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Korolyov pays 89% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.
🛒Dining out: $58.0 in Korolyov vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $273, with Korolyov cheaper for home cooking.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Korolyov vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Korolyov or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 89% higher in Korolyov, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Korolyov compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $517 in Korolyov versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Korolyov or in Phuket?
Shoppers in Korolyov pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Korolyov and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $58.0 in Korolyov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Korolyov or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,259 in Korolyov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Korolyov. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Korolyov or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Korolyov compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Korolyov 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.
Should I move to Korolyov or to Phuket?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Korolyov on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.