Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qapshaghay and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Qapshaghay: $1,082 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Qapshaghay
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Qapshaghay Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Qapshaghay

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,082

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Qapshaghay and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qapshaghay and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,082 in Qapshaghay versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Qapshaghay $1,082
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,631 in Qapshaghay versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Qapshaghay $1,631
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Qapshaghay versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Qapshaghay $2,180
Phuket $3,154

Living in Qapshaghay costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qapshaghay 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 ₸4,997

$4.47 ฿151

146.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.49 ₸10.2K

$32.41 ฿1,094

-30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₸3,006

$8.81 ฿297

-24.74%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₸784

$2.83 ฿95.4

-38.87%

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

$1.01 ₸459

$0.87 ฿29.42

16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸319

$0.49 ฿16.66

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 ₸597

$2.56 ฿86.3

-48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₸597

$3.68 ฿124

-64.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ₸780

$1.66 ฿56.0

3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₸199

$1.46 ฿49.32

-69.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ₸952

$1.50 ฿50.5

40.00%

Eggs

$2.44 ₸1,106

$2.09 ฿70.5

16.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 ₸5,540

$19.07 ฿643

-35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 ₸2,995

$3.30 ฿111

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ₸4,901

$10.91 ฿368

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ₸819

$2.93 ฿98.9

-38.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 ₸1,083

$1.69 ฿57.0

41.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 ₸1,324

$2.25 ฿75.8

29.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 ₸1,224

$2.08 ฿70.1

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₸362

$1.51 ฿51.0

-47.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₸253

$1.38 ฿46.54

-59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₸753

$1.07 ฿35.97

55.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₸452

$0.52 ฿17.51

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 ₸754

$4.20 ฿142

-60.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ₸4,966

$18.79 ฿634

-41.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.82 ฿61.5

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₸1,074

$2.84 ฿95.9

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₸92.8

$1.45 ฿49.00

-86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.05 ₸8,186

$56.7 ฿1,912

-68.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸383

$3.02 ฿102

-72.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸316

$1.02 ฿34.34

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ₸1,773

$3.69 ฿125

5.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 ₸274

$1.47 ฿49.78

-59.18%

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

$28.4K ₸12.9M

$26.8K ฿903.7K

5.89%

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

$31.0K ₸14.1M

$26.7K ฿900.8K

16.21%

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

$91.1 ₸41.3K

$96.4 ฿3,252

-5.46%

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

$10.77 ₸4,886

$11.26 ฿380

-4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.05 ₸8,188

$16.85 ฿569

7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 ₸19.0K

$67.2 ฿2,269

-37.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 ₸2,941

$7.50 ฿253

-13.60%

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

$142 ₸64.6K

$476 ฿16.1K

-70.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,442 ₸2.0M

$11.3K ฿380.1K

-60.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 ₸42.3K

$62.4 ฿2,105

49.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.25 ₸22.3K

$28.41 ฿959

73.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.3K

$94.3 ฿3,182

50.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₸59.2K

$85.8 ฿2,896

52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₸201.0K

$716 ฿24.2K

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₸139.6K

$491 ฿16.6K

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ₸327.0K

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-62.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₸228.1K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-64.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,131 ₸512.8K

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-72.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 ₸343.2K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-75.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

5.57

270.74%

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

Last update for Qapshaghay: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Qapshaghay

$308 28.4%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 59.5% $183

Groceries & Markets

Qapshaghay

$245 22.7%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 8.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Qapshaghay

$187 17.3%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 34.7% $65

Eating Out

Qapshaghay

$145 13.4%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 16% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qapshaghay

$120 11.1%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 3.8% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Qapshaghay

$55 5.1%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 50% $27

Getting Around

Qapshaghay

$23 2.1%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 204% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Qapshaghay and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22 in Qapshaghay vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $266 per month, with Qapshaghay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Qapshaghay

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

10:28 10:28 AM

12:28 12:28 PM

2 h ahead of Qapshaghay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

42,167

79,308

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Qapshaghay Phuket 4,500 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Qapshaghay
Phuket

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

Qapshaghay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qapshaghay is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,623 in Qapshaghay and $1,917 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Qapshaghay versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $142 in Qapshaghay versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Qapshaghay is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Qapshaghay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.