Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rasht Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rasht

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $529 in Rasht.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $763 in Rasht.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $996 in Rasht.

Living in Phuket is roughly 139% more expensive than Rasht, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Rasht 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.99 $3.99

17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$17.01 $17.01

166.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.44 $4.44

89.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.30 $1.30

125.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.42 $0.42

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.99 $0.99

-62.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.63 $0.63

253.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.48 $0.48

281.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.88 $1.88

15.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.13 $1.13

95.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.48 $3.48

467.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.62 $2.62

38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.10 $9.10

48.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.80 $0.80

310.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.29 $1.29

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.73 $0.73

230.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.46 $0.46

352.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.51 $0.51

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.46 $0.46

221.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.34 $0.34

191.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.25 $0.25

104.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.65 $1.65

167.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.14 $0.14

878.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$10.93 $10.93

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.51 $0.51

492.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.24 $0.24

312.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.52 $1.52

827.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.73 $0.73

86.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$72.6K $72.6K

-61.18%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$53.9K $53.9K

-38.98%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$13.61 $13.61

794.20%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$2.08 $2.08

552.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$4.55 $4.55

302.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$18.74 $18.74

221.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$18.55 $18.55

-7.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$0.99 $0.99

777.78%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$83.3 $83.3

732.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,981 $1,981

692.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$16.11 $16.11

269.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.15 $25.15

38.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$110 $110

4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$70.2 $70.2

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$214 $214

187.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$200 $200

118.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$386 $386

443.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$214 $214

605.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,223 $1,223

206.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$618 $618

323.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$211 $211

140.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

25.07

-78.74%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rasht: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $214 in Rasht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 141% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Rasht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $98.0 per month, with Rasht 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 Rasht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rasht is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 141% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $214 in Rasht. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $83.3 in Rasht. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 200% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $529 in Rasht versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rasht but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rasht the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rasht 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rasht are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rasht gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.