Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 ₽876

$4.55 ฿153

145.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₽2,969

$46.18 ฿1,553

-18.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₽390

$8.84 ฿297

-43.78%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₽199

$3.06 ฿103

-17.32%

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

$1.19 ₽93.1

$0.73 ฿24.40

63.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.40 ฿13.39

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₽97.9

$2.43 ฿81.8

-48.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽170

$3.78 ฿127

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽80.2

$2.26 ฿76.0

-54.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽43.52

$1.81 ฿60.9

-69.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽90.6

$2.25 ฿75.8

-48.89%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽123

$2.25 ฿75.5

-30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 ₽647

$19.51 ฿656

-57.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₽381

$3.65 ฿123

33.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₽598

$13.05 ฿439

-41.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ₽99.5

$3.23 ฿109

-60.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽127

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₽119

$2.38 ฿80.1

-36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₽190

$2.03 ฿68.1

19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽55.8

$1.53 ฿51.6

-53.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽43.34

$1.50 ฿50.5

-63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽93.8

$0.98 ฿32.91

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽49.41

$0.52 ฿17.39

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

$4.44 ฿149

-27.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₽598

$18.32 ฿616

-58.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₽69.5

$1.86 ฿62.7

-52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽165

$2.68 ฿90.1

-21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽40.31

$1.41 ฿47.46

-63.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.36 ₽1,521

$11.70 ฿393

65.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₽154

$3.11 ฿105

-36.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽25.83

$1.04 ฿35.06

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ₽522

$14.11 ฿474

-52.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₽60.6

$1.31 ฿44.10

-41.22%

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

$25.7K ₽2.0M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-7.73%

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

$39.7K ₽3.1M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

19.38%

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

$99.1 ₽7,787

$122 ฿4,118

-19.05%

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

$7.17 ₽563

$13.59 ฿457

-47.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 ₽632

$18.70 ฿629

-56.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,263

$60.5 ฿2,034

-31.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.69 ₽2,018

$16.98 ฿571

51.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ₽397

$9.07 ฿305

-44.21%

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

$286 ₽22.5K

$706 ฿23.8K

-59.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 ₽659.6K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-46.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.48 ₽3,808

$58.6 ฿1,969

-17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ₽4,743

$35.36 ฿1,189

70.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,992

$115 ฿3,883

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽8,000

$83.7 ฿2,816

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽38.5K

$626 ฿21.0K

-21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₽27.7K

$445 ฿15.0K

-20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 ₽72.9K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-54.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₽45.6K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-61.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,635 ₽207.0K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-24.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 ₽128.0K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-36.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 ₽71.0K

$500 ฿16.8K

80.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

5.33

206.38%

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

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 81% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $289 per month, with Rostov-on-Don cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rostov-on-Don vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 81% higher in Rostov-on-Don, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Rostov-on-Don versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Rostov-on-Don versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rostov-on-Don 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, Rostov-on-Don 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.

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.