Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Bathurst vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Bathurst vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,113 per month in Bathurst vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Bathurst costs about 76% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bathurst sits 66% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.69 CA$20.43

$4.70 ฿153

212.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.47 CA$60.5

$45.37 ฿1,482

-4.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 CA$12.46

$8.43 ฿275

6.29%

Cappuccino

$3.40 CA$4.72

$2.93 ฿95.6

16.04%

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

$1.68 CA$2.34

$0.69 ฿22.40

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$0.37 ฿11.99

254.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.25

$2.41 ฿78.6

116.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.15

$3.72 ฿122

38.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.23 ฿72.9

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$1.83 ฿59.8

48.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.61

$2.17 ฿70.8

85.71%

Eggs

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.21 ฿72.3

69.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 CA$17.73

$19.74 ฿645

-35.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 CA$13.23

$3.63 ฿119

161.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 CA$8.98

$13.53 ฿442

-52.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.58

$3.28 ฿107

22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.61 ฿52.6

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$2.41 ฿78.6

56.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.08 ฿68.1

-9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$1.53 ฿49.93

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.48 ฿48.36

49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$0.99 ฿32.29

173.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$0.51 ฿16.67

266.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 CA$14.10

$4.41 ฿144

129.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 CA$16.10

$19.38 ฿633

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.69

$1.78 ฿58.1

89.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.68

$2.71 ฿88.6

24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$1.37 ฿44.79

74.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 CA$93.8

$11.39 ฿372

492.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 CA$10.60

$3.02 ฿98.6

152.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$0.99 ฿32.48

79.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.42 CA$40.92

$14.10 ฿461

108.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.36 ฿44.51

-14.71%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-12.21%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-36.52%

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

$106 CA$147

$122 ฿3,975

-13.21%

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

$38.17 CA$53.1

$13.57 ฿443

181.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.2

$18.31 ฿598

238.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.15 CA$46.10

$17.14 ฿560

93.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.39

$8.69 ฿284

27.27%

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

$166 CA$231

$693 ฿22.6K

-76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-23.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.42 CA$57.6

$59.5 ฿1,944

-30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.09 CA$48.80

$34.77 ฿1,136

0.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 CA$102

$115 ฿3,743

-35.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 CA$192

$83.3 ฿2,720

65.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 CA$1,007

$613 ฿20.0K

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 CA$1,650

$437 ฿14.3K

171.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 CA$2,834

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 CA$2,554

$1,509 ฿49.3K

21.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,109 CA$2,933

$508 ฿16.6K

315.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.33

21.20%

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

Last update for Bathurst: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $724 in Bathurst 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 315% higher in Bathurst, 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 $43.00 in Bathurst versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Bathurst vs $293 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bathurst vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bathurst is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,340 per month in Bathurst 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 $2,227 in Bathurst 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 492% 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 Bathurst at $2,227. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bathurst it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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