ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $979 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,447 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,915 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy27% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$11.31â―850
-59.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,523
$24.04â―1,806
94.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ287
$6.16â―463
43.51%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ97.4
$1.26â―94.7
138.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.11
$1.12â―84.5
-33.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.88
$0.46â―34.23
-19.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.3
$0.81â―60.7
201.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ117
$1.69â―127
113.61%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.5
$1.06â―79.9
113.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ59.8
$0.53â―39.87
247.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.0
$1.15â―86.0
94.78%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.3
$1.54â―116
50.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ639
$9.65â―725
103.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$4.97â―373
-26.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ426
$7.43â―558
76.31%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ110
$1.53â―115
121.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.4
$1.68â―126
-2.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ78.5
$1.53â―115
57.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.0
$2.57â―193
-21.01%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.6
$0.71â―53.5
119.72%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.66
$0.55â―41.39
172.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.30
$1.20â―90.1
-15.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ15.91
$0.61â―45.92
-19.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$2.39â―180
86.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ614
$6.84â―514
176.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ57.7
$0.66â―49.34
169.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ89.5
$1.12â―84.2
145.54%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.54
$0.55â―40.97
154.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ373
$19.10â―1,435
-39.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ101
$1.95â―146
60.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.48
$0.36â―26.69
177.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ458
$6.38â―479
120.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ43.93
$0.76â―57.5
77.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
$25.1Kâ―1.9M
8.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$39.1Kâ―2.9M
-15.79%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,063
$109â―8,220
14.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ441
$6.42â―483
111.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ602
$9.33â―701
98.50%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ1,999
$34.71â―2,608
77.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ547
$12.75â―958
32.08%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ299
$5.06â―380
81.62%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.7K
$289â―21.7K
142.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
$8,395â―630.8K
85.72%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,878
$85.0â―6,389
-32.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,146
$51.4â―3,864
-31.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,677
$81.0â―6,086
39.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,808
$112â―8,427
-22.99%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.0K
$453â―34.0K
36.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.5K
$303â―22.8K
47.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
$769â―57.8K
166.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
$507â―38.1K
194.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
$707â―53.1K
434.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
$572â―43.0K
362.82%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.0K
$654â―49.2K
-19.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
16.34
-67.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $453 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $174 per month, with Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy 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 Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy cheaper than Phuket?
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
On paper, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $453 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $289 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
At $979 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy more family-friendly?
For families, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy gentler on the wallet â expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.