😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $864 in Polevskoy.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,369 in Polevskoy.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,873 in Polevskoy.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than in Polevskoy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Polevskoy37% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿153
$8.26₽711
-43.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,057
$31.97₽2,753
0.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿285
$5.11₽440
69.86%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.1
$2.60₽224
11.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.69
$1.14₽97.8
-26.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.05
$0.69₽59.3
-28.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿81.5
$3.47₽298
-28.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$4.61₽397
-19.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿61.9
$1.13₽97.7
67.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.21
$0.80₽69.2
76.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.2
$1.08₽92.7
50.00%
Eggs
$2.24฿73.5
$1.13₽97.6
98.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿651
$9.59₽825
106.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿114
$4.74₽408
-26.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿373
$9.76₽840
16.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.1
$1.64₽141
76.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.64₽141
4.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿74.6
$1.72₽148
31.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.0
$2.11₽182
0.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.38
$0.66₽56.5
122.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.59
$0.50₽43.26
184.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.00
$1.47₽126
-25.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.62
$0.54₽46.39
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿141
$2.70₽232
59.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿610
$5.89₽508
215.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.1
$0.77₽66.6
133.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿97.3
$1.77₽152
67.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿73.7
$0.48₽41.56
368.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿771
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$2.32₽200
33.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.31
$0.31₽26.63
248.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿127
$7.02₽604
-44.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿46.83
$0.80₽69.0
78.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿911.7K
$29.2K₽2.5M
-4.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿885.3K
$29.2K₽2.5M
-7.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,438
$77.5₽6,672
35.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿374
$4.56₽393
149.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿576
$8.36₽720
109.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,783
$39.09₽3,366
39.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿375
$21.48₽1,850
-46.74%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿255
$5.87₽505
32.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿18.9K
$319₽27.4K
80.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿380.0K
$5,896₽507.7K
96.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,088
$45.64₽3,930
39.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿955
$29.66₽2,554
-1.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,157
$86.6₽7,458
11.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,953
$52.0₽4,480
73.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.1K
$470₽40.5K
55.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.4K
$272₽23.4K
84.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿69.7K
$878₽75.6K
141.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.1K
$466₽40.1K
168.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿115.9K
$2,268₽195.3K
55.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.0K
$1,337₽115.2K
96.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Polevskoy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
20.34
-72.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Polevskoy: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $470 in Polevskoy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Polevskoy. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $180, with Polevskoy cheaper for home cooking.
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 Polevskoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polevskoy cheaper than Phuket?
Polevskoy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,296 in Polevskoy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Polevskoy?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $470 in Polevskoy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $319 in Polevskoy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Polevskoy?
Dining out is cheaper in Polevskoy – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Polevskoy?
At $864 in Polevskoy versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Polevskoy but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Polevskoy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Polevskoy more family-friendly?
For families, Polevskoy 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Polevskoy?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Polevskoy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Polevskoy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.