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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,446 per month in Arbon vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,324 per month in Arbon vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,202 per month in Arbon vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Arbon costs about 175% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 151% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.44

$4.56 ฿151

586.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$32.62 ฿1,082

360.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.92 CHF 16.19

$8.90 ฿295

123.82%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$2.80 ฿93.0

124.64%

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

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$0.88 ฿29.19

592.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$0.49 ฿16.23

1016.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.32 CHF 7.57

$2.39 ฿79.2

289.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CHF 5.16

$3.71 ฿123

71.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.79 ฿59.3

26.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$1.44 ฿47.81

120.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$1.58 ฿52.6

136.08%

Eggs

$8.07 CHF 6.56

$2.13 ฿70.5

278.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 21.05

$19.92 ฿661

29.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.54

$3.43 ฿114

744.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.89 CHF 34.87

$11.33 ฿376

278.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$2.95 ฿97.8

23.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$1.72 ฿57.1

17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.32 ฿77.1

3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 CHF 4.35

$2.08 ฿69.0

157.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$1.47 ฿48.77

36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.36 ฿45.05

66.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.10 ฿36.45

111.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$0.57 ฿19.06

114.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$4.27 ฿142

165.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CHF 14.28

$18.42 ฿611

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.87 ฿62.1

21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$2.92 ฿96.9

-20.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$2.22 ฿73.6

90.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$22.90 ฿759

297.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$3.03 ฿101

118.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$1.07 ฿35.63

339.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 66.0

$3.93 ฿130

1966.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.49 ฿49.49

56.38%

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

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

34.05%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

49.17%

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

$228 CHF 186

$103 ฿3,410

121.99%

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

$38.84 CHF 31.58

$10.99 ฿365

253.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 45.93

$17.51 ฿581

222.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 64.6

$53.5 ฿1,776

48.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.48

$11.20 ฿371

377.50%

Cinema Ticket

$24.06 CHF 19.56

$7.48 ฿248

221.66%

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

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$557 ฿18.5K

314.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

172.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$64.1 ฿2,125

127.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 53.8

$29.07 ฿964

127.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$96.0 ฿3,183

55.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$90.3 ฿2,997

108.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 CHF 1,265

$730 ฿24.2K

113.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CHF 1,091

$500 ฿16.6K

168.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,340

$2,090 ฿69.3K

37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,212

$1,209 ฿40.1K

125.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

412.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,379

$2,512 ฿83.3K

359.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.6K CHF 9,446

$503 ฿16.7K

2208.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

5.57

-65.89%

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

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Arbon versus $730 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 2208% 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 $150 in Arbon versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $273 – 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: $3,446 in Arbon, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 175% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,170 per month in Arbon and $1,880 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 $3,446 in Arbon and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 297% 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 $1,253, than in Arbon at $3,446. 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $3,446 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.