🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Qapshaghay versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,258 in Qapshaghay versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Qapshaghay versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Qapshaghay costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Qapshaghay37% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67₸3,600
$4.55฿153
68.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.34₸9,070
$46.18฿1,557
-58.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.78₸2,711
$8.84฿298
-34.62%
Cappuccino
$1.58₸743
$3.06฿103
-48.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87₸406
$0.73฿24.46
19.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₸249
$0.40฿13.42
32.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02₸476
$2.43฿82.0
-58.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15₸538
$3.78฿127
-69.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30₸610
$2.26฿76.2
-42.48%
White Bread(500g)
$0.60₸280
$1.81฿61.0
-66.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.47₸690
$2.25฿76.0
-34.67%
Eggs
$1.80₸844
$2.25฿75.7
-20.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.25₸4,339
$19.51฿658
-52.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.73₸2,217
$3.65฿123
29.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.47₸3,502
$13.05฿440
-42.76%
Apples(1kg)
$1.39₸651
$3.23฿109
-56.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97₸924
$1.62฿54.5
21.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86₸874
$2.38฿80.3
-21.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07₸970
$2.03฿68.3
1.97%
Potato(1kg)
$0.62₸290
$1.53฿51.7
-59.48%
Onion(1kg)
$0.40₸186
$1.50฿50.6
-73.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31₸612
$0.98฿32.99
33.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70₸329
$0.52฿17.43
34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.42₸667
$4.44฿150
-68.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43₸4,893
$18.32฿618
-43.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87₸410
$1.86฿62.8
-53.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05₸962
$2.68฿90.4
-23.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18₸82.7
$1.41฿47.57
-87.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿394
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.70₸327
$3.11฿105
-77.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.62₸293
$1.04฿35.14
-40.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.79₸2,248
$14.11฿476
-66.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.52₸243
$1.31฿44.20
-60.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.2K₸10.9M
$27.8K฿937.7K
-16.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K₸12.7M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-18.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$62.9₸29.5K
$122฿4,127
-48.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.90₸4,176
$13.59฿458
-34.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.46₸6,312
$18.70฿630
-28.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.15₸15.5K
$60.5฿2,039
-45.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.35₸2,510
$9.07฿306
-41.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$267₸125.4K
$706฿23.8K
-62.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,939₸2.3M
$15.8K฿532.8K
-68.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8₸26.6K
$58.6฿1,974
-3.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.10₸20.7K
$35.36฿1,192
24.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.2₸46.5K
$115฿3,892
-14.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120₸56.2K
$83.7฿2,823
43.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$384₸180.0K
$626฿21.1K
-38.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$273₸128.2K
$445฿15.0K
-38.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$625₸293.3K
$2,040฿68.8K
-69.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433₸203.2K
$1,492฿50.3K
-70.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,026₸481.1K
$3,483฿117.4K
-70.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$771₸361.8K
$2,577฿86.9K
-70.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qapshaghay
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$500฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
18.39
5.33
245.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qapshaghay: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Qapshaghay and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Qapshaghay vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $289 per month, with Qapshaghay 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
Qapshaghay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Qapshaghay?
Qapshaghay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,272 in Qapshaghay and $1,875 in Phuket 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.
What is the rent difference between Qapshaghay and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $384 in Qapshaghay versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $267 in Qapshaghay versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Qapshaghay or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Qapshaghay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Qapshaghay or in Phuket?
At $848 in Qapshaghay versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Qapshaghay but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Qapshaghay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Qapshaghay or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Qapshaghay 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.
Which city is safer, Qapshaghay or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Qapshaghay and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Qapshaghay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Qapshaghay vs other spots: cost of living compared