Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kostroma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kostroma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,128 in Kostroma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,719 in Kostroma, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,310 in Kostroma, rent included.

Phuket costs about 12% more than Kostroma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kostroma are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kostroma 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$12.88 ₽940

-63.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$57.5 ₽4,199

-21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.26 ₽457

34.66%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.20 ₽234

-8.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.40 ₽102

-50.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.67 ₽48.80

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$4.40 ₽321

-45.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.43 ₽323

-16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.24 ₽90.5

79.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.55 ₽39.84

232.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.58 ₽115

37.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.47 ₽108

50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.22 ₽673

114.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.54 ₽331

-20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.87 ₽720

37.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.48 ₽108

121.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.53 ₽112

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.28 ₽93.3

88.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.29 ₽168

-9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.99 ₽72.3

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.72 ₽52.4

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.17 ₽85.1

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.64 ₽46.78

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.16 ₽231

39.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.28 ₽459

208.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.07 ₽78.0

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.36 ₽172

14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.46 ₽33.58

197.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$21.87 ₽1,596

-47.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.53 ₽112

97.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.12 ₽8.86

725.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.52 ₽549

87.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.79 ₽57.8

72.15%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.0K ₽1.9M

8.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.5K ₽2.2M

11.60%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$149 ₽10.9K

-18.20%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$7.91 ₽577

71.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$5.04 ₽368

263.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$25.50 ₽1,862

136.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.49 ₽474

33.90%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$703 ₽51.3K

-1.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$14.8K ₽1.1M

5.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$87.5 ₽6,389

-31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$52.5 ₽3,834

-33.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$134 ₽9,760

-14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$164 ₽12.0K

-49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$444 ₽32.4K

38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$301 ₽22.0K

45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$768 ₽56.0K

172.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$499 ₽36.4K

202.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,088 ₽152.4K

79.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,051 ₽76.7K

148.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,075 ₽78.5K

-52.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

14.67

-63.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kostroma: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $444 in Kostroma. 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 112% higher in Kostroma, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Kostroma. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $183 in Kostroma – so Kostroma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kostroma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 12% more than Kostroma, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,692 in Kostroma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 60% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $58.0 in Kostroma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostroma, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kostroma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostroma costs $1,128 versus $1,265 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 Kostroma. 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.