Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,093 in Ulan Ude versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,679 in Ulan Ude versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,265 in Ulan Ude versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Ulan Ude costs roughly 11% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulan Ude 20% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 ₽565

$4.41 ฿147

51.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.49 ₽4,012

$32.26 ฿1,077

47.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 ₽611

$8.93 ฿298

-19.04%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ₽296

$2.90 ฿96.6

20.69%

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

$1.83 ₽154

$0.88 ฿29.38

107.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₽154

$0.48 ฿16.06

279.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ₽305

$2.35 ฿78.5

53.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₽499

$3.72 ฿124

58.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽107

$1.87 ฿62.3

-32.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₽71.4

$1.47 ฿48.94

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.46 ₽38.77

$1.55 ฿51.8

-70.32%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽158

$2.10 ฿70.1

-11.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 ₽1,002

$19.59 ฿654

-39.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 ₽513

$3.42 ฿114

77.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 ₽893

$11.38 ฿380

-7.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₽102

$2.98 ฿99.6

-59.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ₽147

$1.68 ฿56.2

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 ₽98.3

$2.21 ฿73.7

-47.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₽195

$2.16 ฿72.1

6.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₽48.98

$1.52 ฿50.9

-61.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ₽68.0

$1.34 ฿44.67

-39.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.58 ₽302

$1.13 ฿37.67

216.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽58.8

$0.55 ฿18.24

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₽241

$4.26 ฿142

-33.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 ₽692

$19.09 ฿637

-57.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽51.9

$1.78 ฿59.4

-65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₽98.1

$2.78 ฿92.9

-58.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ₽38.31

$2.23 ฿74.4

-79.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.76 ₽2,007

$22.74 ฿759

4.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₽108

$3.03 ฿101

-57.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₽12.50

$1.02 ฿34.15

-85.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 ₽602

$3.89 ฿130

83.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽70.3

$1.49 ฿49.77

-44.30%

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

$47.3K ₽4.0M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

77.87%

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

$35.0K ₽3.0M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

29.52%

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

$120 ₽10.1K

$102 ฿3,420

16.66%

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

$3.65 ₽309

$11.33 ฿378

-67.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.23 ₽696

$17.40 ฿581

-52.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.57 ₽1,991

$52.1 ฿1,738

-54.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.39 ₽4,004

$11.07 ฿370

328.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ₽611

$7.69 ฿257

-5.85%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 ₽5,993

$63.0 ฿2,104

12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 ₽2,505

$29.52 ฿986

0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽9,900

$98.0 ฿3,272

19.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₽9,896

$88.5 ฿2,954

32.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₽42.1K

$738 ฿24.6K

-32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₽30.9K

$482 ฿16.1K

-24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₽64.3K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-63.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₽50.3K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-51.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ₽166.8K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-45.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,551 ₽131.0K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-40.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 ₽74.5K

$494 ฿16.5K

78.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.67

5.57

289.05%

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

Last update for Ulan Ude: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Ulan Ude and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulan Ude pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Ulan Ude vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $274, with Ulan Ude cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ulan Ude vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulan Ude is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Ulan Ude, 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: $498 in Ulan Ude versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulan Ude – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Ulan Ude runs roughly 4% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,093 in Ulan Ude versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ulan Ude but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ulan Ude the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ulan Ude 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, Ulan Ude 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 Ulan Ude gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.