Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kharkiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kharkiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $670 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,073 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,476 in Kharkiv, rent included.

Phuket costs about 87% more than Kharkiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kharkiv are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kharkiv 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.08 ₴316

-35.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$26.72 ₴1,194

72.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.94 ₴265

48.82%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.29 ₴57.5

137.21%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.60 ₴26.95

21.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.44 ₴19.69

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$0.98 ₴43.57

147.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.53 ₴68.5

147.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.06 ₴47.17

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.62 ₴27.59

191.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.27 ₴56.7

77.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.63 ₴72.6

38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.93 ₴354

146.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.92 ₴175

-6.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.60 ₴295

97.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.86 ₴38.52

275.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.62 ₴72.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.90 ₴84.9

25.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.26 ₴101

-10.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.67 ₴29.86

128.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.56 ₴25.19

167.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.03 ₴46.13

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.54 ₴23.94

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.54 ₴113

74.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.41 ₴197

315.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.75 ₴33.62

148.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.32 ₴58.8

103.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.37 ₴16.58

281.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.47 ₴65.6

111.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.23 ₴10.26

352.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.88 ₴129

389.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.40 ₴62.5

-6.43%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.6K ₴1.2M

0.83%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$23.9K ₴1.1M

39.07%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$115 ₴5,119

6.84%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$5.38 ₴240

152.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$6.27 ₴280

198.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$25.27 ₴1,129

139.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$16.00 ₴715

6.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.81 ₴215

88.57%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$355 ₴15.9K

98.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,213 ₴143.5K

391.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$56.6 ₴2,529

3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$40.07 ₴1,790

-11.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$83.2 ₴3,715

38.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$101 ₴4,515

-17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$183 ₴8,186

241.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$134 ₴5,974

232.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$365 ₴16.3K

458.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$243 ₴10.9K

513.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,081 ₴48.3K

222.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$572 ₴25.5K

350.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$532 ₴23.8K

-6.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kharkiv: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $183 in Kharkiv. 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 6% higher in Kharkiv, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Kharkiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $153 – making Kharkiv the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kharkiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 87% more than Kharkiv, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,005 in Kharkiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Kharkiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kharkiv, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Kharkiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kharkiv costs $670 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kharkiv. 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.