Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arzamas

For one person, living is cheaper in Arzamas: $1,117 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Arzamas, Russia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Arzamas
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,117
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Arzamas

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,117 in Arzamas.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Arzamas $1,117

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,737 in Arzamas.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Arzamas $1,737

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,357 in Arzamas.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Arzamas $2,357

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Arzamas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Arzamas 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$12.60 ₽1,015
-64.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$38.36 ₽3,090
-15.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$6.10 ₽491
44.43%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.65 ₽214
6.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$1.08 ₽86.9
-19.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$0.66 ₽52.9
-25.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.90 ₽153
34.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.22 ₽260
14.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.30 ₽105
27.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$0.79 ₽63.8
84.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.57 ₽127
-4.46%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.68 ₽136
24.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$9.96 ₽802
91.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$5.69 ₽458
-42.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$12.43 ₽1,001
-12.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.79 ₽144
63.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.79 ₽144
-5.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.58 ₽127
42.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$3.03 ₽244
-31.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.77 ₽61.9
96.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$0.54 ₽43.79
155.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$1.31 ₽105
-18.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.73 ₽59.0
-28.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$2.69 ₽216
56.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.28 ₽667
126.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.20 ₽97.0
51.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.06 ₽166
37.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$0.51 ₽40.90
184.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$26.27 ₽2,115
115.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.27 ₽183
33.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$0.34 ₽27.10
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$5.64 ₽454
-34.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$0.92 ₽74.5
59.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$60.6K ₽4.9M
-55.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$41.2K ₽3.3M
-35.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$143 ₽11.5K
-32.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$7.06 ₽568
59.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$7.59 ₽611
122.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$36.06 ₽2,904
86.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$25.44 ₽2,049
-57.82%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$6.94 ₽559
8.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$373 ₽30.1K
27.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$7,263 ₽584.9K
55.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$76.4 ₽6,156
-18.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$51.3 ₽4,128
-44.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$116 ₽9,369
-18.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$113 ₽9,109
-24.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$303 ₽24.4K
135.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$328 ₽26.4K
49.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$497 ₽40.0K
287.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$596 ₽48.0K
140.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$2,238 ₽180.2K
86.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$1,752 ₽141.1K
73.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Arzamas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
21.45
-74.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Arzamas
$328 33.1% $163
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Arzamas
$215 19.3% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Arzamas
$157 26.4% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Arzamas
$161 31.8% $39
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Arzamas
$174 42.8% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Arzamas
$50 39.3% $32
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Arzamas
$32 54.3% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $303 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $38 in Arzamas. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $215, with Arzamas cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇺 Arzamas
🕒 Local time
09:33 9:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
4 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
103,396
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Arzamas 7,110 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Arzamas

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
Phuket vs Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Arzamas?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,117 in Arzamas, so Arzamas is about 13% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Arzamas?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $1,676 in Arzamas 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Arzamas?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $303 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Arzamas?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,117 in Arzamas – Arzamas is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Arzamas?
A monthly transit pass in Arzamas runs roughly 54% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How far does $2,000 go in Phuket compared to Arzamas?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Arzamas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Arzamas?
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.

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