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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $615 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $862 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,110 in Erdenet.

Living in Phuket is roughly 106% more expensive than Erdenet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Erdenet 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.05 MNT 14.5K

16.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$29.03 MNT 103.8K

56.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.34 MNT 15.5K

94.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.59 MNT 5,696

84.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.69 MNT 2,467

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.39 MNT 1,407

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.23 MNT 4,393

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.32 MNT 4,735

181.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.00 MNT 3,576

123.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.72 MNT 2,586

154.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.80 MNT 6,419

20.56%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.13 MNT 7,621

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.84 MNT 35.2K

100.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.06 MNT 18.1K

-28.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.97 MNT 14.2K

240.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.46 MNT 8,803

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.03 MNT 7,248

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.62 MNT 9,373

-8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.06 MNT 7,359

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.76 MNT 2,730

101.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.94 MNT 3,351

57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.90 MNT 3,229

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.68 MNT 2,442

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.00 MNT 10.7K

47.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.74 MNT 20.5K

237.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.16 MNT 4,144

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.36 MNT 4,864

99.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.10 MNT 359

1270.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$4.68 MNT 16.7K

143.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.43 MNT 1,525

602.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.68 MNT 2,446

45.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.33 MNT 19.1K

164.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.88 MNT 3,131

54.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$12.6K MNT 44.9M

124.54%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

213.08%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$63.4 MNT 226.6K

92.08%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$2.86 MNT 10.2K

374.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$14.88 MNT 53.2K

23.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$24.77 MNT 88.6K

143.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$4.36 MNT 15.6K

293.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.72 MNT 9,738

219.49%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$195 MNT 696.1K

256.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,663 MNT 9.5M

489.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$29.04 MNT 103.8K

104.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$29.89 MNT 106.9K

16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$90.1 MNT 322.0K

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$89.3 MNT 319.1K

-6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$180 MNT 642.5K

241.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$135 MNT 482.5K

223.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$596 MNT 2.1M

251.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$221 MNT 790.1K

129.98%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $180 in Erdenet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 130% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $181 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 106% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $615 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 130% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $180 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $195 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $615 in Erdenet versus $1,265 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 106% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.