Cost of Living Comparison Between Novokuznetsk and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Novokuznetsk and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,389 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,876 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Novokuznetsk 26% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ₽818

$4.41 ฿147

119.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 ₽3,971

$32.26 ฿1,077

45.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₽548

$8.93 ฿298

-27.32%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₽211

$2.90 ฿96.6

-14.14%

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

$1.09 ₽92.0

$0.88 ฿29.38

23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₽41.92

$0.48 ฿16.06

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₽97.2

$2.35 ฿78.5

-51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₽202

$3.72 ฿124

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽96.9

$1.87 ฿62.3

-38.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₽61.0

$1.47 ฿48.94

-51.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ₽118

$1.55 ฿51.8

-10.32%

Eggs

$1.56 ₽132

$2.10 ฿70.1

-25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₽894

$19.59 ฿654

-45.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 ₽423

$3.42 ฿114

46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ₽888

$11.38 ฿380

-7.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ₽173

$2.98 ฿99.6

-31.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₽142

$1.68 ฿56.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ₽181

$2.21 ฿73.7

-3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 ₽319

$2.16 ฿72.1

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₽72.7

$1.52 ฿50.9

-43.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₽48.47

$1.34 ฿44.67

-57.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₽75.5

$1.13 ฿37.67

-21.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽65.5

$0.55 ฿18.24

41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ₽265

$4.26 ฿142

-26.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 ₽494

$19.09 ฿637

-69.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₽112

$1.78 ฿59.4

-25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₽255

$2.78 ฿92.9

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₽46.25

$2.23 ฿74.4

-75.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.47 ₽2,490

$22.74 ฿759

29.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₽154

$3.03 ฿101

-39.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₽50.9

$1.02 ฿34.15

-41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 ₽698

$3.89 ฿130

112.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽70.3

$1.49 ฿49.77

-44.30%

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

$26.0K ₽2.2M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-2.32%

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

$27.8K ₽2.3M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

2.71%

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

$142 ₽12.0K

$102 ฿3,420

38.69%

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

$5.87 ₽496

$11.33 ฿378

-48.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.04 ₽595

$17.40 ฿581

-59.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 ₽4,239

$52.1 ฿1,738

-3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 ₽2,489

$11.07 ฿370

166.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₽497

$7.69 ฿257

-23.41%

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

$692 ₽58.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

23.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₽1.4M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

45.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 ₽5,435

$63.0 ฿2,104

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₽4,345

$29.52 ฿986

74.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽8,093

$98.0 ฿3,272

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 ₽8,085

$88.5 ฿2,954

8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₽37.9K

$738 ฿24.6K

-39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₽25.4K

$482 ฿16.1K

-37.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 ₽80.2K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 ₽56.6K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-45.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 ₽181.7K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 ₽123.8K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-43.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$553 ₽46.7K

$494 ฿16.5K

11.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.67

5.57

324.96%

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

Last update for Novokuznetsk: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Novokuznetsk and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novokuznetsk pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Novokuznetsk vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $274, with Novokuznetsk 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

Novokuznetsk vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novokuznetsk and Phuket differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,015 vs $1,232 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Novokuznetsk, 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: $448 in Novokuznetsk versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,015 per month in Novokuznetsk versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,015 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novokuznetsk but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Novokuznetsk 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, Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.