Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Urganch Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Urganch

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $242 in Urganch.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $424 in Urganch.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $605 in Urganch.

Living in Phuket is roughly 408% more expensive than Urganch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Urganch 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.89 UZS 46.9K

19.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$27.58 UZS 332.1K

69.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

94.81%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.77 UZS 9,312

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.23 UZS 2,765

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.19 UZS 14.4K

105.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.62 UZS 19.5K

13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.83 UZS 22.0K

22.40%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.50 UZS 18.1K

54.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$5.03 UZS 60.6K

160.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.73 UZS 20.8K

-5.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.24 UZS 2,869

104.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.18 UZS 2,108

677.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.25 UZS 51.1K

219.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$140 UZS 1.7M

339.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$118 UZS 1.4M

278.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$249 UZS 3.0M

721.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$200 UZS 2.4M

645.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,932 UZS 35.3M

28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$3,563 UZS 42.9M

-25.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$413 UZS 5.0M

26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Urganch: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $140 in Urganch. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 27% 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 $28.00 in Urganch for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $58.0 per month, with Urganch 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 Urganch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Urganch is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 408% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 27% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $140 in Urganch. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 405% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Urganch – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $242 in Urganch versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Urganch but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Urganch the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Urganch 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 Urganch 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 Urganch gentler on the wallet – expenses run 408% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.