Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karaganda

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $929 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Karaganda

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

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $929 in Karaganda, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Karaganda $929

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $1,498 in Karaganda, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Karaganda $1,498

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $2,067 in Karaganda, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Karaganda $2,067

Phuket costs about 30% more than Karaganda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Karaganda 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$9.92 ₸4,483

-55.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$34.77 ₸15.7K

-7.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$5.62 ₸2,540

55.87%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$1.90 ₸861

48.95%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.87 ₸392

3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.64 ₸290

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$1.37 ₸618

86.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$2.81 ₸1,271

36.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.33 ₸602

30.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$0.48 ₸219

206.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.34 ₸605

12.69%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.87 ₸845

16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$13.37 ₸6,043

47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$5.55 ₸2,510

-39.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$11.16 ₸5,043

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$1.51 ₸683

88.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.89 ₸857

-10.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$2.78 ₸1,255

-21.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.09 ₸944

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$0.63 ₸284

130.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$0.54 ₸245

155.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$1.04 ₸469

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$0.70 ₸315

-27.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.18 ₸985

95.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$8.40 ₸3,798

121.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$1.36 ₸616

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$2.11 ₸955

35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.23 ₸104

882.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$15.45 ₸6,982

43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$1.23 ₸558

144.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$1.24 ₸562

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$3.22 ₸1,457

19.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$0.52 ₸236

178.85%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$21.6K ₸9.8M

21.66%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$32.3K ₸14.6M

-16.49%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$72.6 ₸32.8K

32.81%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$9.86 ₸4,457

11.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$11.82 ₸5,342

45.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$45.55 ₸20.6K

14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$18.09 ₸8,179

-38.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$5.29 ₸2,390

47.64%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$133 ₸59.9K

319.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$60.5 ₸27.4K

6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$57.6 ₸26.0K

-50.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$79.0 ₸35.7K

20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$85.7 ₸38.7K

2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$400 ₸180.6K

84.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$274 ₸123.7K

68.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$730 ₸330.1K

186.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$543 ₸245.7K

120.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$1,053 ₸475.8K

231.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$695 ₸314.0K

263.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$566 ₸256.1K

-11.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.25

-71.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Karaganda

$274 29.5% 40.8% $189

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Karaganda

$216 23.3% 19.6% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Karaganda

$94 10.2% 24.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Karaganda

$127 13.7% 2.4% $3

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Karaganda

$138 14.8% 13.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Karaganda

$56 6% 17.2% $12

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Karaganda

$24 2.6% 39.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $400 in Karaganda. 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 13% higher in Karaganda, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Karaganda. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Phuket vs $216 in Karaganda – so Karaganda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🕒 Local time

17:48 5:48 PM

16:48 4:48 PM

1 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

520,486

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Karaganda 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Karaganda

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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,208 in Phuket, $929 in Karaganda – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $1,393 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaganda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $556 per month in Phuket and $133 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $929 in Karaganda to $1,208 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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