Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Qapshaghay

For one person, living is cheaper in Qapshaghay: $1,082 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Qapshaghay
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Qapshaghay Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Qapshaghay

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,082

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Qapshaghay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,082 in Qapshaghay.

Phuket $1,278
Qapshaghay $1,082

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,631 in Qapshaghay.

Phuket $2,216
Qapshaghay $1,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,180 in Qapshaghay.

Phuket $3,154
Qapshaghay $2,180

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Qapshaghay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Qapshaghay 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$11.02 ₸4,997

-59.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$22.49 ₸10.2K

44.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$6.63 ₸3,006

32.88%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$1.73 ₸784

63.58%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.01 ₸459

-13.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.70 ₸319

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$1.32 ₸597

93.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$1.32 ₸597

178.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.72 ₸780

-3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$0.44 ₸199

231.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.10 ₸952

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.44 ₸1,106

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$12.21 ₸5,540

56.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$6.60 ₸2,995

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.80 ₸4,901

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$1.81 ₸819

61.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.39 ₸1,083

-29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.92 ₸1,324

-22.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$2.70 ₸1,224

-22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.80 ₸362

88.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.56 ₸253

146.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$1.66 ₸753

-35.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$1.00 ₸452

-48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$1.66 ₸754

153.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$10.95 ₸4,966

71.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.21 ₸547

50.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$2.37 ₸1,074

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$0.20 ₸92.8

625.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$18.05 ₸8,186

213.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.84 ₸383

259.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$0.70 ₸316

45.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$3.91 ₸1,773

-5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$0.60 ₸274

145.00%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$28.4K ₸12.9M

-5.56%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$31.0K ₸14.1M

-13.95%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$91.1 ₸41.3K

5.77%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$10.77 ₸4,886

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$18.05 ₸8,188

-6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$41.86 ₸19.0K

60.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$6.48 ₸2,941

15.74%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$142 ₸64.6K

234.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$4,442 ₸2.0M

153.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$93.2 ₸42.3K

-33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$49.25 ₸22.3K

-42.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$142 ₸64.3K

-33.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$131 ₸59.2K

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$443 ₸201.0K

61.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$308 ₸139.6K

59.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$721 ₸327.0K

167.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$503 ₸228.1K

184.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$1,131 ₸512.8K

269.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$757 ₸343.2K

302.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.65

-73.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Qapshaghay

$308 28.4% 37.3% $183

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Qapshaghay

$245 22.7% 7.9% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Qapshaghay

$120 11.1% 3.7% $4.6

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Qapshaghay

$187 17.3% 53.1% $65

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Qapshaghay

$145 13.4% 19% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Qapshaghay

$55 5.1% 33.3% $27

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Qapshaghay

$23 2.1% 67.1% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $443 in Qapshaghay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $22 in Qapshaghay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $245 per month, with Qapshaghay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇿 Qapshaghay

🕒 Local time

21:15 9:15 PM

19:15 7:15 PM

2 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

42,167

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Qapshaghay 4,500 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Qapshaghay

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 Qapshaghay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qapshaghay is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $1,623 in Qapshaghay 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $443 in Qapshaghay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $142 in Qapshaghay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Qapshaghay is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Qapshaghay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.