Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ishim

For one person, living is cheaper in Ishim: $1,031 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Ishim, Russia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Ishim
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,031
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ishim

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,031 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Ishim $1,031

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,593 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Ishim $1,593

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,156 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Ishim $2,156

Phuket costs about 24% more than Ishim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Ishim are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ishim 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$7.32 ₽592
-38.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
$36.06 ₽2,917
-10.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$4.80 ₽389
83.54%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
$2.82 ₽228
0.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
$1.55 ₽125
-43.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$0.75 ₽61.0
-34.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
$2.15 ₽174
19.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.06 ₽247
20.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.11 ₽89.9
49.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
$0.88 ₽71.2
65.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$1.18 ₽95.6
27.12%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
$1.35 ₽109
54.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
$9.02 ₽730
111.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$5.23 ₽423
-36.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$10.60 ₽857
2.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
$1.86 ₽150
57.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$1.79 ₽145
-5.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$1.78 ₽144
26.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.84 ₽149
13.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$0.44 ₽35.34
243.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
$0.28 ₽22.59
392.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
$1.36 ₽110
-21.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
$0.84 ₽67.9
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.04 ₽246
38.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
$11.86 ₽960
58.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.07 ₽86.3
70.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
$1.97 ₽159
44.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$0.52 ₽42.03
178.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
$25.14 ₽2,033
125.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.38 ₽193
26.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
$0.37 ₽30.22
175.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$5.83 ₽472
-36.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$0.86 ₽69.5
70.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
$52.1K ₽4.2M
-48.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
$40.4K ₽3.3M
-33.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
$123 ₽9,926
-21.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$6.18 ₽500
82.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$8.67 ₽701
94.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$35.75 ₽2,892
88.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
$24.20 ₽1,958
-55.66%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$7.18 ₽581
4.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
$346 ₽28.0K
37.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
$6,297 ₽509.4K
78.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
$80.0 ₽6,473
-22.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
$52.7 ₽4,263
-46.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
$120 ₽9,747
-21.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
$103 ₽8,320
-16.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$466 ₽37.7K
53.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
$317 ₽25.6K
54.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
$910 ₽73.6K
111.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
$563 ₽45.5K
154.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
$2,288 ₽185.1K
82.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
$1,510 ₽122.2K
101.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ishim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
25.7
-78.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ishim: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Ishim
$317 35.5% $174
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Ishim
$202 24.2% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Ishim
$138 10.5% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Ishim
$160 31.4% $38
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Ishim
$133 9.2% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Ishim
$50 39.1% $32
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Ishim
$31 55.4% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $466 in Ishim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $36 in Ishim. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $202 in Ishim – so Ishim wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇺 Ishim
🕒 Local time
09:15 9:15 AM
07:15 7:15 AM
2 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
64,010
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 80.89 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.67 RUB (100 RUB = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Ishim 5,930 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Ishim

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 Ishim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ishim cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,546 in Ishim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ishim, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $466 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Ishim?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $36 in Ishim. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Ishim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,031 in Ishim. That makes Ishim about 19% cheaper.
Is $1,500 enough for either Phuket or Ishim?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,278 in Phuket and $1,031 in Ishim, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Phuket or Ishim more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ishim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?