Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Moscow Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Moscow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,683 in Moscow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,643 in Moscow, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $3,603 in Moscow, rent included.

Phuket is about 26% cheaper than Moscow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Moscow is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.68 ₽996

-64.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$57.3 ₽4,500

-19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.42 ₽504

37.69%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.34 ₽262

-8.38%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.39 ₽109

-47.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.68 ₽53.2

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.42 ₽347

-45.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.39 ₽345

-13.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.27 ₽100.0

77.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.88 ₽69.3

105.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.69 ₽133

33.14%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.92 ₽151

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.38 ₽1,051

45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.15 ₽483

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$12.27 ₽964

6.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.94 ₽153

66.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.07 ₽163

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.31 ₽181

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$4.19 ₽330

-51.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.00 ₽78.4

53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.86 ₽67.5

74.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.66 ₽130

-40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.75 ₽59.2

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.12 ₽245

42.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.76 ₽1,002

43.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.08 ₽85.1

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.34 ₽184

14.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.87 ₽68.0

62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$37.34 ₽2,934

-68.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.57 ₽202

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.44 ₽34.64

136.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$8.05 ₽632

75.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.80 ₽63.2

63.75%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$37.8K ₽3.0M

-26.38%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$36.0K ₽2.8M

-7.80%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$150 ₽11.8K

-18.22%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.15 ₽640

66.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$8.13 ₽639

130.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$47.80 ₽3,755

26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$35.23 ₽2,768

-51.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.33 ₽498

43.29%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$694 ₽54.5K

1.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$14.8K ₽1.2M

6.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$87.3 ₽6,859

-32.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$52.9 ₽4,158

-33.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$132 ₽10.4K

-12.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$164 ₽12.9K

-48.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$1,346 ₽105.7K

-53.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$757 ₽59.4K

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$2,963 ₽232.8K

-31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,385 ₽108.8K

7.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$11.0K ₽865.0K

-68.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$4,689 ₽368.3K

-45.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,779 ₽139.8K

-71.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

24.39

-78.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $1,346 in Moscow. 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 256% higher in Moscow, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $57.0 in Moscow. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $252 in Moscow – so Moscow 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 Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 35% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $2,525 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 219% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $694 in Moscow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Moscow at $1,683. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,683 in Moscow. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.