Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $776 in Shymkent versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Shymkent versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,928 in Shymkent versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shymkent 43% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 ₸4,907

$4.56 ฿150

136.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.49 ₸14.8K

$32.62 ฿1,073

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₸3,021

$8.90 ฿293

-25.51%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₸1,091

$2.80 ฿92.2

-14.64%

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

$1.02 ₸467

$0.88 ฿28.94

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₸242

$0.49 ฿16.08

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ₸480

$2.39 ฿78.5

-56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₸607

$3.71 ฿122

-64.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ₸666

$1.79 ฿58.8

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₸193

$1.44 ฿47.40

-70.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 ₸783

$1.58 ฿52.1

8.86%

Eggs

$1.63 ₸741

$2.13 ฿69.9

-23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ₸4,670

$19.92 ฿655

-48.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 ₸2,343

$3.43 ฿113

49.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 ₸4,009

$11.33 ฿372

-22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ₸538

$2.95 ฿97.0

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₸954

$1.72 ฿56.6

21.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 ₸1,139

$2.32 ฿76.5

7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₸614

$2.08 ฿68.4

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₸244

$1.47 ฿48.34

-63.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸181

$1.36 ฿44.65

-70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₸392

$1.10 ฿36.13

-21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸380

$0.57 ฿18.89

45.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,121

$4.27 ฿140

-42.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.36 ₸1,987

$18.42 ฿606

-76.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₸476

$1.87 ฿61.5

-44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸703

$2.92 ฿96.1

-47.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ₸60.1

$2.22 ฿73.0

-94.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₸377

$3.03 ฿99.6

-72.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ₸166

$1.07 ฿35.32

-65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.78 ₸4,457

$3.93 ฿129

148.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 ₸267

$1.49 ฿49.06

-60.40%

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

$26.9K ₸12.2M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-0.89%

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

$29.0K ₸13.2M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

5.77%

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

$46.53 ₸21.2K

$103 ฿3,380

-54.74%

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

$9.10 ₸4,145

$10.99 ฿361

-17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.64 ₸6,671

$17.51 ฿576

-16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 ₸17.6K

$53.5 ฿1,760

-27.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 ₸3,920

$11.20 ฿368

-23.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₸2,462

$7.48 ฿246

-27.81%

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

$56.5 ₸25.7K

$557 ฿18.3K

-89.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.70 ₸16.3K

$64.1 ฿2,107

-44.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 ₸15.1K

$29.07 ฿956

13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ₸82.9K

$96.0 ฿3,155

89.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 ₸23.7K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-42.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₸151.8K

$730 ฿24.0K

-54.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₸91.9K

$500 ฿16.4K

-59.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₸315.7K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 ₸250.7K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-54.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,075 ₸489.6K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-70.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 ₸443.6K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-61.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₸196.9K

$503 ฿16.6K

-14.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

5.57

227.65%

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

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Shymkent and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Shymkent vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $273 per month, with Shymkent 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

Shymkent vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shymkent is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Shymkent versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $56.5 in Shymkent versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $776 in Shymkent versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shymkent 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, Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.