Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Poltava Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Poltava

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $643 in Poltava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,007 in Poltava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,371 in Poltava.

Living in Phuket is roughly 96% more expensive than Poltava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Poltava 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$5.72 ₴257
-20.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$24.15 ₴1,085
93.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$4.51 ₴203
87.80%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$1.30 ₴58.6
133.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$0.62 ₴27.89
11.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.45 ₴20.25
-17.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$0.88 ₴39.47
182.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$1.67 ₴75.0
119.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$0.95 ₴42.61
129.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$0.65 ₴29.09
192.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$1.24 ₴55.8
77.42%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$1.66 ₴74.7
33.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$8.00 ₴359
149.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$3.76 ₴169
-2.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$5.26 ₴236
151.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$0.80 ₴35.83
303.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$1.20 ₴54.1
41.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$1.29 ₴58.0
85.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$1.54 ₴69.0
35.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$0.39 ₴17.63
307.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$0.55 ₴24.68
169.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$0.71 ₴31.69
45.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.57 ₴25.70
-8.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$2.09 ₴94.1
103.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$5.07 ₴228
270.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$0.85 ₴38.11
107.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$1.61 ₴72.5
71.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.23 ₴10.29
491.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$14.34 ₴644
-20.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$1.89 ₴85.1
66.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$0.15 ₴6.57
593.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$4.38 ₴197
214.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.29 ₴58.0
3.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$27.5K ₴1.2M
0.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$20.3K ₴912.1K
66.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$92.5 ₴4,153
33.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$4.31 ₴194
213.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$4.94 ₴222
278.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$13.30 ₴597
364.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
$9.21 ₴414
87.30%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$4.75 ₴213
92.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$275 ₴12.4K
155.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$7,732 ₴347.4K
105.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$69.5 ₴3,123
-14.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$26.46 ₴1,189
32.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$79.1 ₴3,555
45.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$81.9 ₴3,679
2.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$260 ₴11.7K
137.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$159 ₴7,122
172.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$440 ₴19.8K
368.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$312 ₴14.0K
384.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$906 ₴40.7K
302.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Poltava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
$457 ₴20.5K
11.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
17.5
-69.54%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Poltava: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $260 in Poltava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Poltava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $140 per month, with Poltava cheaper across the board.

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 Poltava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Poltava cheaper than Phuket?
Poltava is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Poltava?
Phuket pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Poltava?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $260 in Poltava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $275 in Poltava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Poltava?
Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Poltava?
At $643 in Poltava versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Poltava but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Poltava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Poltava more family-friendly?
For families, Poltava 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 Poltava?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Poltava 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 Poltava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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