Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saratov Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saratov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,008 in Saratov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,559 in Saratov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,110 in Saratov.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than Saratov, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Saratov 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$12.71 ₽938

-63.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$38.84 ₽2,866

16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.41 ₽473

31.51%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.99 ₽146

47.24%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.77 ₽56.5

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.41 ₽30.55

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.92 ₽68.1

161.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.36 ₽174

57.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.04 ₽76.7

114.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.67 ₽49.45

173.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.71 ₽126

26.90%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.54 ₽113

43.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.35 ₽837

73.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.30 ₽317

-15.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.10 ₽671

48.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.18 ₽87.0

177.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.64 ₽121

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.23 ₽165

8.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.97 ₽145

5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.53 ₽38.97

188.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.55 ₽40.88

169.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.44 ₽106

-31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.51 ₽37.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.43 ₽179

81.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.64 ₽564

153.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.99 ₽72.8

79.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.32 ₽171

16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.53 ₽38.98

158.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.82 ₽135

65.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.24 ₽17.76

312.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.89 ₽508

104.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.73 ₽53.7

86.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$39.8K ₽2.9M

-29.11%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$38.4K ₽2.8M

-14.30%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$85.4 ₽6,298

42.59%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.38 ₽397

152.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$9.33 ₽688

96.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$37.05 ₽2,734

62.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.24 ₽1,567

-19.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.12 ₽378

69.73%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$327 ₽24.2K

111.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$6,848 ₽505.3K

129.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$136 ₽10.0K

-56.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$74.2 ₽5,471

-53.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$133 ₽9,840

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$151 ₽11.1K

-44.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$396 ₽29.2K

55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$285 ₽21.0K

53.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$600 ₽44.3K

248.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$468 ₽34.5K

222.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,839 ₽135.7K

103.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,529 ₽112.8K

71.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$728 ₽53.7K

-30.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.45

-57.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saratov: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $396 in Saratov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saratov pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Saratov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $187 per month, with Saratov 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 Saratov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saratov is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Saratov earns 43% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $396 in Saratov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $327 in Saratov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saratov – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,008 in Saratov versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saratov but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saratov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Saratov 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 Saratov 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 Saratov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.