Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zaqatala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zaqatala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $362 in Zaqatala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $605 in Zaqatala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $847 in Zaqatala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 238% more expensive than Zaqatala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zaqatala 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$5.41 ₼9.19

-16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$20.61 ₼35.02

126.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.87 ₼11.68

23.58%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.40 ₼4.08

28.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.62 ₼1.05

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.54 ₼0.92

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.71 ₼2.90

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.97 ₼5.05

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.02 ₼1.74

114.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.40 ₼0.68

352.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.22 ₼3.78

0.45%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.39 ₼2.36

61.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$3.58 ₼6.08

447.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.32 ₼3.94

60.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$8.39 ₼14.26

60.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$0.74 ₼1.26

354.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.15 ₼1.95

40.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.61 ₼1.03

295.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.69 ₼1.17

188.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.28 ₼0.47

446.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.40 ₼0.69

262.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.91 ₼1.54

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.58 ₼0.98

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$1.75 ₼2.97

144.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$8.98 ₼15.25

112.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.15 ₼1.95

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.09 ₼3.55

31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.21 ₼0.35

576.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.61 ₼1.04

111.48%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,964

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$34.02 ₼57.8

80.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$117 ₼198

419.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$82.9 ₼141

440.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$235 ₼399

764.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$147 ₼251

912.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Zaqatala: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $117 in Zaqatala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Zaqatala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $133 per month, with Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zaqatala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 238% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $544 in Zaqatala 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: $607 in Phuket versus $117 in Zaqatala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaqatala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $362 in Zaqatala versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaqatala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zaqatala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.