Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,962 per month in Aarau vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,722 per month in Aarau vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,482 per month in Aarau vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Aarau costs about 134% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 121% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 23.73

$4.70 ฿153

540.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CHF 83.6

$45.37 ฿1,482

133.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.44 CHF 15.33

$8.43 ฿275

130.60%

Cappuccino

$6.35 CHF 5.01

$2.93 ฿95.6

116.72%

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

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$0.69 ฿22.40

384.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.80

$0.37 ฿11.99

1205.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 CHF 6.43

$2.41 ฿78.6

238.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.77

$3.72 ฿122

96.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.23 ฿72.9

-2.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$1.83 ฿59.8

82.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$2.17 ฿70.8

17.05%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.52

$2.21 ฿72.3

216.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.74

$19.74 ฿645

46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.39 CHF 28.69

$3.63 ฿119

902.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.90 CHF 34.61

$13.53 ฿442

224.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.20

$3.28 ฿107

-14.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$1.61 ฿52.6

32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$2.41 ฿78.6

16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.47

$2.08 ฿68.1

172.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.53 ฿49.93

47.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.62

$1.48 ฿48.36

38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$0.99 ฿32.29

153.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$0.51 ฿16.67

198.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 CHF 8.21

$4.41 ฿144

136.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CHF 8.39

$19.38 ฿633

-45.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.78 ฿58.1

25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$2.71 ฿88.6

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$1.37 ฿44.79

205.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 CHF 118

$11.39 ฿372

1210.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 CHF 6.83

$3.02 ฿98.6

186.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.41

$0.99 ฿32.48

465.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$14.10 ฿461

519.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$1.36 ฿44.51

61.76%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

41.09%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

26.16%

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

$251 CHF 198

$122 ฿3,975

105.94%

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

$42.50 CHF 33.51

$13.57 ฿443

213.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.20

$18.31 ฿598

226.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 CHF 52.3

$60.2 ฿1,967

10.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.53 CHF 32.74

$17.14 ฿560

142.30%

Cinema Ticket

$22.96 CHF 18.10

$8.69 ฿284

164.21%

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

$3,147 CHF 2,481

$693 ฿22.6K

353.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

59.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 CHF 73.1

$59.5 ฿1,944

55.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 41.85

$34.77 ฿1,136

52.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CHF 88.9

$115 ฿3,743

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 136

$83.3 ฿2,720

106.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CHF 1,033

$613 ฿20.0K

113.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 CHF 811

$437 ฿14.3K

135.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CHF 1,924

$2,094 ฿68.4K

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 CHF 1,641

$1,509 ฿49.3K

37.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,330

$3,749 ฿122.5K

181.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,910

$2,616 ฿85.4K

380.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,301 CHF 5,756

$508 ฿16.6K

1336.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

5.33

-53.10%

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

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Aarau versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1337% higher in Aarau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Aarau versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aarau vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 134% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,443 per month in Aarau and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1210% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,147 per month in Aarau and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Aarau at $2,962. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,962 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.