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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,361 per month in Arbon vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,221 per month in Arbon vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Arbon vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Arbon costs about 169% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 152% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 CHF 24.68

$4.55 ฿153

570.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 112

$46.18 ฿1,554

200.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.34 CHF 14.02

$8.84 ฿298

96.15%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$3.06 ฿103

101.31%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.32

$0.73 ฿24.42

632.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CHF 3.52

$0.40 ฿13.40

987.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 CHF 6.24

$2.43 ฿81.8

217.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.82

$3.78 ฿127

90.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$2.26 ฿76.0

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$1.81 ฿60.9

41.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$2.25 ฿75.8

61.33%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.39

$2.25 ฿75.6

251.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.75 CHF 22.43

$19.51 ฿656

42.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.72 CHF 26.46

$3.65 ฿123

796.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.18 CHF 33.29

$13.05 ฿439

215.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.58

$3.23 ฿109

-1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.48

$1.62 ฿54.4

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$2.38 ฿80.2

4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$2.03 ฿68.2

213.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.53 ฿51.6

62.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$1.50 ฿50.5

58.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$0.98 ฿32.93

163.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$0.52 ฿17.40

121.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.73

$4.44 ฿149

143.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 CHF 9.03

$18.32 ฿616

-39.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$1.86 ฿62.7

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.68 ฿90.2

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$1.41 ฿47.49

175.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$11.70 ฿394

729.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 CHF 5.42

$3.11 ฿105

115.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$1.04 ฿35.08

307.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 63.7

$14.11 ฿475

458.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.31 ฿44.13

65.65%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

42.91%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

29.27%

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

$251 CHF 203

$122 ฿4,120

104.79%

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

$59.3 CHF 47.97

$13.59 ฿457

336.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CHF 43.68

$18.70 ฿629

188.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$60.5 ฿2,035

47.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$22.30 CHF 18.03

$9.07 ฿305

145.87%

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

$2,789 CHF 2,255

$706 ฿23.8K

294.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

171.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$58.6 ฿1,970

133.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 CHF 52.1

$35.36 ฿1,190

82.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$115 ฿3,885

13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 130

$83.7 ฿2,818

92.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,376

$626 ฿21.1K

172.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,169

$445 ฿15.0K

224.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,324

$2,040 ฿68.7K

40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 CHF 1,971

$1,492 ฿50.2K

63.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

325.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,587

$2,577 ฿86.7K

312.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.3K CHF 9,150

$500 ฿16.8K

2164.02%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Arbon versus $626 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 2164% 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 $139 in Arbon versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $608 vs $289 – 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: $3,361 in Arbon, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 169% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,041 per month in Arbon and $1,875 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 $3,361 in Arbon and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 729% 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 $1,250, than in Arbon at $3,361. 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $3,361 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.