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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Phuket is roughly 107% more expensive than in Erdenet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$29.70 MNT 106.5K

55.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

99.10%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.57 MNT 5,628

94.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.64 MNT 2,284

14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.40 MNT 1,419

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.22 MNT 4,367

99.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.33 MNT 4,779

184.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.02 MNT 3,641

121.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.72 MNT 2,582

151.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.80 MNT 6,435

25.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.17 MNT 7,776

3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

99.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

-27.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

243.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.50 MNT 8,974

29.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.10 MNT 7,528

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.62 MNT 9,373

-9.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.02 MNT 7,245

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.72 MNT 2,595

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.00 MNT 3,582

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.84 MNT 3,022

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.69 MNT 2,487

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

53.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

221.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.15 MNT 4,139

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.32 MNT 4,716

103.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.10 MNT 349

1310.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

145.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.46 MNT 1,638

576.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.68 MNT 2,431

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

167.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.92 MNT 3,299

42.39%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

126.96%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

216.65%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

99.77%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

367.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

25.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

139.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

280.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.63 MNT 9,412

244.87%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$193 MNT 690.6K

266.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

503.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

102.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.2 MNT 312.4K

32.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$89.5 MNT 320.8K

-6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$174 MNT 622.2K

260.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$131 MNT 470.2K

239.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$580 MNT 2.1M

251.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$225 MNT 805.4K

122.46%

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 Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $174 in Erdenet. 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $180 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

Phuket vs Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 122% higher in Phuket, 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: $626 in Phuket versus $174 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $193 in Erdenet. 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, Phuket and Erdenet 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.