Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaqatala and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaqatala and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $359 in Zaqatala versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $599 in Zaqatala versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $839 in Zaqatala versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Zaqatala costs roughly 71% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zaqatala 73% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₼9.01

$4.63 ฿151

14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.91 ₼35.55

$46.84 ฿1,532

-55.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 ₼12.28

$8.84 ฿289

-18.33%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₼4.06

$3.00 ฿98.0

-20.33%

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

$0.60 ₼1.02

$0.74 ฿24.25

-18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₼0.93

$0.37 ฿11.95

48.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₼3.02

$2.44 ฿79.8

-27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₼4.92

$3.61 ฿118

-19.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ₼1.68

$2.26 ฿73.9

-56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₼0.72

$1.84 ฿60.1

-77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₼3.71

$2.24 ฿73.4

-2.68%

Eggs

$1.40 ₼2.38

$2.32 ฿75.7

-39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 ₼5.97

$19.67 ฿643

-82.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 ₼4.01

$3.65 ฿119

-35.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 ₼14.37

$13.10 ฿428

-35.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 ₼1.23

$3.39 ฿111

-78.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₼2.03

$1.64 ฿53.7

-26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 ₼1.04

$2.41 ฿79.0

-74.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 ₼1.23

$2.03 ฿66.4

-64.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ₼0.47

$1.56 ฿50.9

-82.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₼0.68

$1.50 ฿48.94

-73.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₼1.55

$1.02 ฿33.50

-10.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₼1.02

$0.49 ฿16.00

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 ₼2.94

$4.45 ฿145

-61.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.06 ₼15.40

$18.88 ฿617

-52.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₼1.99

$1.78 ฿58.1

-34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₼3.45

$2.75 ฿90.1

-26.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₼0.33

$1.40 ฿45.81

-85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 ₼0.96

$1.35 ฿44.19

-58.52%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 ₼58.0

$61.5 ฿2,010

-44.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 ₼201

$616 ฿20.1K

-80.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.9 ₼143

$446 ฿14.6K

-81.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₼396

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-88.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ₼254

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-90.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Zaqatala: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Zaqatala and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Zaqatala vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $292 per month, with Zaqatala 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

Zaqatala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zaqatala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 243% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $538 in Zaqatala and $1,847 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: $118 in Zaqatala versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaqatala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $359 in Zaqatala versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaqatala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zaqatala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zaqatala 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, Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 243% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.