Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kyiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Kyiv: $996 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kyiv, Ukraine
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kyiv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$996
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kyiv

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $996 in Kyiv.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Kyiv $996

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,575 in Kyiv.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Kyiv $1,575

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,153 in Kyiv.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Kyiv $2,153

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Kyiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kyiv 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$10.78 ₴491
-58.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$32.91 ₴1,499
-1.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.54 ₴343
16.84%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.81 ₴82.3
56.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.76 ₴34.82
14.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.59 ₴26.69
-16.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.34 ₴60.9
91.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$1.99 ₴90.7
84.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.34 ₴60.9
23.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.83 ₴37.70
75.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.49 ₴67.8
0.67%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.03 ₴92.6
2.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$10.09 ₴460
89.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$5.11 ₴233
-35.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$8.65 ₴394
26.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.21 ₴55.2
142.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.56 ₴71.1
8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.84 ₴83.9
22.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$2.69 ₴123
-22.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.58 ₴26.22
160.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$0.45 ₴20.45
206.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$1.48 ₴67.5
-27.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.64 ₴29.25
-18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.35 ₴153
25.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$5.42 ₴247
246.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$0.91 ₴41.50
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$1.35 ₴61.5
110.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.69 ₴31.24
110.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$12.38 ₴564
357.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.21 ₴100
36.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.45 ₴20.69
126.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$4.70 ₴214
-21.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.82 ₴82.7
-19.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$30.9K ₴1.4M
-13.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$25.2K ₴1.1M
6.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$96.8 ₴4,409
-0.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$6.86 ₴312
64.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$6.30 ₴287
167.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$37.13 ₴1,691
81.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$18.04 ₴821
-40.52%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$5.60 ₴255
33.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$424 ₴19.3K
12.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$15.1K ₴688.0K
-25.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$73.2 ₴3,333
-14.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$39.13 ₴1,781
-27.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$94.9 ₴4,322
-0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$118 ₴5,378
-27.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$647 ₴29.5K
10.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$337 ₴15.3K
45.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,386 ₴63.1K
39.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$651 ₴29.7K
119.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$2,590 ₴117.9K
61.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$1,160 ₴52.8K
162.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kyiv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$820 ₴37.3K
-38.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
17.88
-68.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Kyiv
$337 31.4% $154
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Kyiv
$188 29.3% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Kyiv
$110 11.6% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Kyiv
$146 20.1% $25
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Kyiv
$147 20.5% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Kyiv
$48 41.2% $34
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Kyiv
$20 72.2% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $647 in Kyiv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $33 in Kyiv. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $188, with Kyiv cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇦 Kyiv
🕒 Local time
21:24 9:24 PM
16:24 4:24 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
2,908,249 Capital
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 45.53 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.84 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kyiv 7,770 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kyiv

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 Kyiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kyiv cheaper than Phuket?
Kyiv is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Kyiv?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Phuket. 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 Kyiv?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $647 in Kyiv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Kyiv?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Kyiv?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $33 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is Phuket or Kyiv more family-friendly?
For families, Kyiv 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.

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