Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zlatoust

For one person, living is cheaper in Zlatoust: $1,137 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Zlatoust, Russia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Zlatoust
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,137
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Zlatoust

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,137 in Zlatoust.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Zlatoust $1,137

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,783 in Zlatoust.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Zlatoust $1,783

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $2,429 in Zlatoust.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Zlatoust $2,429

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Zlatoust, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Zlatoust 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$12.07 ₽984
-63.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,080
$42.08 ₽3,432
-23.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿291
$6.47 ₽528
34.47%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.1
$2.94 ₽240
-7.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.11
$1.20 ₽97.6
-22.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.70
$0.57 ₽46.71
-12.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.6
$1.87 ₽152
35.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$3.06 ₽250
18.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.20 ₽97.7
45.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.51
$0.73 ₽59.7
98.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$1.39 ₽113
7.91%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.6
$1.67 ₽136
29.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿638
$12.07 ₽984
58.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$5.48 ₽447
-37.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$11.36 ₽926
-4.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.3
$1.81 ₽148
62.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.6
$1.81 ₽148
-6.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.4
$1.73 ₽141
26.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.0
$3.35 ₽273
-36.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.77
$0.80 ₽65.0
82.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.74
$0.60 ₽48.97
128.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.98
$1.38 ₽113
-21.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.73 ₽59.5
-24.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$3.02 ₽246
46.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿610
$8.48 ₽692
115.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.3
$1.09 ₽89.0
62.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.3
$2.12 ₽173
35.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.40
$0.57 ₽46.38
154.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,835
$31.20 ₽2,545
75.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.26 ₽185
-33.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.94
$0.38 ₽30.71
105.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$5.85 ₽477
-34.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.74
$0.81 ₽66.1
83.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿898.9K
$59.9K ₽4.9M
-55.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿881.0K
$45.7K ₽3.7M
-42.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,271
$133 ₽10.9K
-26.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿378
$6.69 ₽545
68.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿575
$8.47 ₽691
102.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,285
$33.31 ₽2,717
105.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
$27.34 ₽2,230
-60.06%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$6.61 ₽539
12.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$407 ₽33.2K
30.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿628.1K
$6,679 ₽544.7K
181.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,062
$98.6 ₽8,038
-37.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿945
$50.8 ₽4,145
-44.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,210
$157 ₽12.8K
-38.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,903
$114 ₽9,318
-24.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$500 ₽40.8K
44.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$324 ₽26.4K
57.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.2K
$937 ₽76.4K
108.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.7K
$585 ₽47.7K
138.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.2K
$2,024 ₽165.1K
107.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.3K
$1,744 ₽142.3K
89.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Zlatoust
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
$622 ₽50.7K
-20.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
21.33
-73.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Zlatoust: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Zlatoust
$324 36.4% $185
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Zlatoust
$217 18.6% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Zlatoust
$149 17.6% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Zlatoust
$189 54.2% $67
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Zlatoust
$174 45.4% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Zlatoust
$47 44.1% $37
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Zlatoust
$38 43.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $500 in Zlatoust. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zlatoust pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $42 in Zlatoust. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $217, with Zlatoust cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇺 Zlatoust
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
15:06 3:06 PM
2 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
162,148
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 81.56 RUB (100 RUB = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 91.6 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Zlatoust 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Zlatoust

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 Zlatoust: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zlatoust cheaper than Phuket?
Zlatoust is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Zlatoust?
On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Zlatoust?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $500 in Zlatoust. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $407 in Zlatoust. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Zlatoust?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 enough for either Phuket or Zlatoust?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Zlatoust gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Zlatoust?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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