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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $693 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $1,090 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $1,486 in Kharkiv, rent included.

Phuket costs about 80% more than Kharkiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kharkiv are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 7% lower, Kharkiv 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59 ฿147
$7.07 ₴311
-35.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83 ฿1,501
$27.47 ₴1,208
70.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿279
$6.06 ₴266
43.56%
Cappuccino
$2.92 ฿93.7
$1.28 ₴56.3
128.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿21.92
$0.65 ₴28.56
4.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿12.70
$0.43 ₴19.02
-6.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ฿80.4
$0.97 ₴42.87
158.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 ฿122
$1.48 ₴65.3
156.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ฿69.3
$1.05 ₴46.26
105.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 ฿60.3
$0.63 ₴27.51
198.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 ฿69.2
$1.27 ₴55.8
70.08%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿71.2
$1.58 ₴69.4
40.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.57 ฿627
$7.86 ₴345
148.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ฿122
$3.93 ₴173
-3.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 ฿430
$6.45 ₴284
107.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 ฿104
$0.84 ₴37.11
288.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.7
$1.62 ₴71.1
-0.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 ฿74.0
$1.92 ₴84.4
20.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 ฿66.0
$2.16 ₴94.9
-4.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.5
$0.65 ₴28.74
147.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 ฿46.26
$0.56 ₴24.45
157.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.01
$1.04 ₴45.67
-0.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.39
$0.55 ₴23.99
-12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 ฿144
$2.62 ₴115
71.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.18 ฿615
$4.53 ₴199
323.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.4
$0.76 ₴33.30
139.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 ฿86.2
$1.26 ₴55.4
113.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 ฿44.16
$0.38 ₴16.57
263.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿377
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.6
$1.43 ₴62.7
117.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.18
$0.25 ₴11.00
300.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.74 ฿441
$2.95 ₴130
365.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ฿41.61
$1.33 ₴58.4
-2.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿877.0K
$26.7K ₴1.2M
2.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ฿1.1M
$23.4K ₴1.0M
41.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿4,004
$115 ₴5,054
8.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74 ฿440
$5.55 ₴244
147.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61 ฿597
$6.19 ₴272
200.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ฿1,941
$25.27 ₴1,111
139.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 ฿550
$16.02 ₴704
7.05%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 ฿289
$4.86 ₴214
85.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.4K
$358 ₴15.7K
94.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿516.5K
$3,171 ₴139.4K
408.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 ฿1,898
$56.5 ₴2,484
4.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86 ฿1,118
$40.02 ₴1,760
-12.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ฿3,662
$81.8 ₴3,599
39.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,751
$102 ₴4,497
-16.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿19.8K
$184 ₴8,074
236.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.0K
$130 ₴5,707
236.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 ฿66.5K
$368 ₴16.2K
463.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿48.4K
$246 ₴10.8K
512.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,764 ฿120.7K
$1,062 ₴46.7K
254.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,694 ฿86.4K
$590 ₴25.9K
356.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kharkiv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$528 ฿16.9K
$483 ₴21.2K
9.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
17
-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kharkiv: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $184 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 9% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Phuket versus $27 in Kharkiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $152 – 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
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Kharkiv?
Phuket costs about 80% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Kharkiv?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Phuket and $1,040 in Kharkiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Kharkiv?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Kharkiv?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Kharkiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Kharkiv?
Groceries cost about 92% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Kharkiv?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kharkiv, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Phuket at $1,247. In Kharkiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Kharkiv?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kharkiv costs $693 versus $1,247 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Kharkiv?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or Kharkiv?
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.

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