Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Elista

For one person, living is cheaper in Elista: $946 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Elista
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Elista Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Elista

🇷🇺 Russia

$946

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Elista

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 Elista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $946 in Elista, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Elista $946

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,491 in Elista, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Elista $1,491

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,036 in Elista, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Elista $2,036

Phuket costs about 35% more than Elista, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Elista are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Elista 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$7.01 ₽564

-36.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$50.5 ₽4,059

-35.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$6.46 ₽520

36.38%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.2

$2.72 ₽219

4.04%

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

$0.87 ฿29.36

$1.02 ₽82.3

-14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.63

$0.60 ₽47.92

-18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$1.17 ₽93.8

118.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$1.82 ₽147

102.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.04 ₽83.5

59.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.24

$0.57 ₽45.64

156.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.16 ₽93.2

29.31%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$1.45 ₽117

44.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$7.70 ₽619

147.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.73 ₽380

-30.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$11.99 ₽964

-9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$1.29 ₽104

127.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.51 ₽122

11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$1.45 ₽117

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.9

$2.65 ₽213

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$0.74 ₽59.6

104.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.48 ₽38.65

187.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.90

$0.38 ₽30.66

181.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.48

$0.68 ₽54.6

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$2.93 ₽236

43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

$9.49 ₽763

98.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.13 ₽90.5

61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

$2.02 ₽162

40.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.91

$0.57 ₽45.85

154.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

$25.45 ₽2,047

122.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.24 ₽180

34.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.28

$0.36 ₽29.23

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$3.77 ₽304

-2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$0.90 ₽72.5

63.33%

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

$26.8K ฿902.1K

$26.9K ₽2.2M

-0.30%

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

$26.7K ฿899.2K

$32.3K ₽2.6M

-17.32%

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

$96.4 ฿3,246

$85.5 ₽6,877

12.70%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$6.57 ₽529

71.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$7.81 ₽628

115.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,265

$37.64 ₽3,028

78.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

$24.99 ₽2,010

-57.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$4.39 ₽353

70.84%

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

$476 ฿16.0K

$348 ₽28.0K

36.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.5K

$5,865 ₽471.8K

92.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,101

$84.8 ₽6,817

-26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$53.4 ₽4,295

-46.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,177

$55.1 ₽4,431

71.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,891

$109 ₽8,743

-21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$479 ₽38.5K

49.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$323 ₽26.0K

52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$924 ₽74.4K

108.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$515 ₽41.5K

177.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

$2,037 ₽163.8K

105.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

$1,345 ₽108.2K

126.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$374 ₽30.0K

34.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.33

-73.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Elista: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Elista

$323 34.1% 34.2% $168

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Elista

$185 19.6% 30.4% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Elista

$100 10.6% 19.8% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Elista

$136 14.4% 11.5% $14

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Elista

$124 13.1% 1.9% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Elista

$46 4.9% 43.5% $36

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Elista

$32 3.4% 55% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $479 in Elista. 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 34% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $50 in Elista. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $185 in Elista – so Elista wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇷🇺 Elista

🕒 Local time

05:07 5:07 AM

01:07 1:07 AM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

103,219

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 33.69 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 80.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.08 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Elista 6,670 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Elista

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 Elista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,419 in Elista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $479 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $348 in Elista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Elista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elista. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.