Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,362 per month in Arbon vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,166 per month in Arbon vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,970 per month in Arbon vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Arbon costs about 166% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 151% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.71 CHF 24.21

$4.70 ฿153

553.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 110

$45.37 ฿1,482

208.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.11 CHF 13.49

$8.43 ฿275

102.97%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 4.99

$2.93 ฿95.6

116.04%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.15

$0.69 ฿22.40

663.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 CHF 3.41

$0.37 ฿11.99

1070.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$2.41 ฿78.6

219.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 CHF 5.92

$3.72 ฿122

101.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.23 ฿72.9

-2.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.83 ฿59.8

45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$2.17 ฿70.8

67.74%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.20

$2.21 ฿72.3

256.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.41 CHF 21.61

$19.74 ฿645

38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.88 CHF 25.14

$3.63 ฿119

778.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.41 CHF 31.86

$13.53 ฿442

198.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.47

$3.28 ฿107

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.45

$1.61 ฿52.6

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$2.41 ฿78.6

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 CHF 5.14

$2.08 ฿68.1

212.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$1.53 ฿49.93

63.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$1.48 ฿48.36

54.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$0.99 ฿32.29

157.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.90

$0.51 ฿16.67

125.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.51

$4.41 ฿144

144.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 CHF 9.36

$19.38 ฿633

-38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.77

$1.78 ฿58.1

26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.71 ฿88.6

-15.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 CHF 3.07

$1.37 ฿44.79

184.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.2

$11.39 ฿372

781.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 CHF 5.32

$3.02 ฿98.6

123.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.36

$0.99 ฿32.48

330.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.5 CHF 63.5

$14.10 ฿461

470.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$1.36 ฿44.51

55.15%

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

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

43.44%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

30.91%

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

$248 CHF 196

$122 ฿3,975

104.18%

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

$59.2 CHF 46.67

$13.57 ฿443

336.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CHF 42.31

$18.31 ฿598

193.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 69.1

$60.2 ฿1,967

45.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$22.44 CHF 17.69

$8.69 ฿284

158.23%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,242

$693 ฿22.6K

310.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 34.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

177.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$59.5 ฿1,944

135.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 CHF 51.9

$34.77 ฿1,136

89.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 105

$115 ฿3,743

16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 127

$83.3 ฿2,720

94.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CHF 1,327

$613 ฿20.0K

174.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CHF 1,176

$437 ฿14.3K

241.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,259

$2,094 ฿68.4K

36.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,423 CHF 1,910

$1,509 ฿49.3K

60.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

279.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,140

$2,616 ฿85.4K

343.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.4K CHF 8,986

$508 ฿16.6K

2143.07%

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 Arbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Arbon 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 2143% higher in Arbon, 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 $140 in Arbon versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $602 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

Arbon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,362 in Arbon, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 166% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,043 per month in Arbon 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,362 in Arbon and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 782% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Arbon at $3,362. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $3,362 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Arbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.