Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zelenograd

For one person, living is cheaper in Zelenograd: $963 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Zelenograd
Learn more

Zelenograd Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Zelenograd

🇷🇺 Russia

$963

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Zelenograd

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $963 in Zelenograd.

Phuket $1,208
Zelenograd $963

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,516 in Zelenograd.

Phuket $2,027
Zelenograd $1,516

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,069 in Zelenograd.

Phuket $2,845
Zelenograd $2,069

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Zelenograd, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Zelenograd 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$5.95 ₽497

-26.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$30.45 ₽2,541

5.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$7.69 ₽642

13.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$2.90 ₽242

-2.41%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.99 ₽82.8

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.56 ₽46.70

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$0.98 ₽81.8

160.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$1.42 ₽119

169.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.92 ₽77.1

88.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$0.89 ₽74.4

65.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.19 ₽99.2

26.89%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.65 ₽137

31.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$8.92 ₽744

120.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$5.13 ₽428

-34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$12.31 ₽1,027

-9.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$1.68 ₽140

69.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.49 ₽125

14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$1.52 ₽127

44.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.62 ₽219

-21.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$0.69 ₽57.4

110.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$0.41 ₽33.90

236.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$1.47 ₽123

-27.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$0.44 ₽36.72

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.22 ₽185

91.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$7.33 ₽611

153.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$0.72 ₽60.2

147.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$1.54 ₽128

85.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.59 ₽49.20

283.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$2.40 ₽200

25.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$0.23 ₽19.18

360.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$3.62 ₽302

6.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$0.79 ₽66.3

83.54%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$53.0K ₽4.4M

-50.28%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$41.5K ₽3.5M

-35.07%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$105 ₽8,755

-8.12%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$3.71 ₽309

197.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$4.71 ₽393

263.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$36.12 ₽3,014

44.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$26.53 ₽2,214

-57.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$6.03 ₽503

29.52%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$185 ₽15.4K

201.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$3,692 ₽308.2K

213.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$43.36 ₽3,619

48.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$24.38 ₽2,035

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$146 ₽12.2K

-34.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$122 ₽10.2K

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$508 ₽42.4K

45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$335 ₽27.9K

38.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$839 ₽70.1K

149.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$645 ₽53.8K

86.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$2,278 ₽190.1K

53.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$1,483 ₽123.7K

70.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$957 ₽79.9K

-47.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-69.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zelenograd: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Zelenograd

$335 34.8% 27.6% $128

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Zelenograd

$191 19.8% 29% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Zelenograd

$113 11.8% 9% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Zelenograd

$151 15.7% 21.5% $27

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Zelenograd

$119 12.4% 1.5% $1.8

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Zelenograd

$48 5% 28.9% $20

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Zelenograd

$5.9 * 0.6% 85% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $508 in Zelenograd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zelenograd pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Zelenograd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $191 per month, with Zelenograd cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇷🇺 Zelenograd

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

03:18 3:18 AM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

223,902

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Zelenograd 7,520 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Zelenograd

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 Zelenograd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zelenograd is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Zelenograd. 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: $737 in Phuket versus $508 in Zelenograd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $185 in Zelenograd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zelenograd – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $963 in Zelenograd versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zelenograd but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zelenograd the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zelenograd 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 Zelenograd 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 Zelenograd gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.