Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $553 in Taraz versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $886 in Taraz versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,220 in Taraz versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Taraz costs roughly 56% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taraz 59% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 ₸2,885

$4.70 ฿153

25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.45 ₸9,534

$45.37 ฿1,482

-57.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ₸2,799

$8.43 ฿275

-32.27%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₸663

$2.93 ฿95.6

-53.92%

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

$0.79 ₸388

$0.69 ฿22.40

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₸184

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸567

$2.41 ฿78.6

-51.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₸772

$3.72 ฿122

-57.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₸494

$2.23 ฿72.9

-54.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₸185

$1.83 ฿59.8

-79.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ₸557

$2.17 ฿70.8

-47.47%

Eggs

$1.73 ₸850

$2.21 ฿72.3

-21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 ₸4,189

$19.74 ฿645

-56.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₸2,258

$3.63 ฿119

27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 ₸3,519

$13.53 ฿442

-46.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 ₸641

$3.28 ฿107

-60.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₸923

$1.61 ฿52.6

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₸931

$2.41 ฿78.6

-21.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ₸922

$2.08 ฿68.1

-9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₸268

$1.53 ฿49.93

-64.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸185

$1.48 ฿48.36

-74.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₸452

$0.99 ฿32.29

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸349

$0.51 ฿16.67

39.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 ₸966

$4.41 ฿144

-55.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,945

$19.38 ฿633

-79.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₸494

$1.78 ฿58.1

-43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₸744

$2.71 ฿88.6

-43.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸80.2

$1.37 ฿44.79

-88.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₸368

$3.02 ฿98.6

-75.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ₸202

$0.99 ฿32.48

-58.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ₸1,680

$14.10 ฿461

-75.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 ₸221

$1.36 ฿44.51

-66.91%

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

$20.0K ₸9.8M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-29.02%

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

$21.7K ₸10.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.18%

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

$50.8 ₸24.9K

$122 ฿3,975

-58.25%

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

$8.00 ₸3,922

$13.57 ฿443

-41.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.83 ₸3,837

$18.31 ฿598

-57.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.35 ₸15.9K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-46.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 ₸1,881

$8.69 ฿284

-55.81%

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

$208 ₸102.0K

$693 ฿22.6K

-69.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,932 ₸2.4M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-68.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.71 ₸11.6K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-60.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 ₸18.9K

$34.77 ฿1,136

10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 ₸48.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 ₸28.9K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₸115.8K

$613 ฿20.0K

-61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 ₸48.8K

$437 ฿14.3K

-77.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₸191.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-81.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₸84.6K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-88.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$783 ₸383.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-79.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$558 ₸273.6K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-78.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ₸123.5K

$508 ฿16.6K

-50.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.25

5.33

204.88%

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

Last update for Taraz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Taraz and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 102% 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: $19.00 in Taraz vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $161 vs $293 per month, with Taraz 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

Taraz vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taraz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 102% less. 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: $236 in Taraz versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $208 in Taraz versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Taraz – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Taraz versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Taraz 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, Taraz 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.