Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,693 per month in Burlington vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,901 per month in Burlington vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,109 per month in Burlington vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Burlington costs about 113% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burlington sits 95% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.99 CA$30.49

$4.66 ฿154

371.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.8

$32.22 ฿1,065

120.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.22

$8.68 ฿287

26.38%

Cappuccino

$3.44 CA$4.77

$2.90 ฿95.8

18.62%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$0.84 ฿27.89

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$0.49 ฿16.16

218.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 CA$8.13

$2.48 ฿82.0

136.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$3.73 ฿123

68.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.72

$1.89 ฿62.3

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.01

$1.41 ฿46.54

104.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.44

$1.62 ฿53.6

141.98%

Eggs

$3.66 CA$5.08

$2.24 ฿74.1

63.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 CA$14.47

$19.84 ฿656

-47.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 CA$14.72

$3.48 ฿115

204.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 CA$20.92

$11.37 ฿376

32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.32

$2.90 ฿95.8

32.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.72 ฿57.0

-9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.27 ฿75.1

19.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$2.13 ฿70.4

75.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.69

$1.47 ฿48.72

31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$1.42 ฿46.92

36.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 CA$2.79

$1.10 ฿36.25

82.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$0.60 ฿19.76

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 CA$19.03

$4.31 ฿142

218.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 CA$15.03

$18.60 ฿615

-41.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$1.80 ฿59.5

52.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.97 ฿98.0

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.25 ฿74.2

22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CA$140

$23.49 ฿776

329.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 CA$6.97

$3.10 ฿102

62.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$1.08 ฿35.56

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.00 CA$59.6

$3.87 ฿128

1011.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.43 ฿47.16

-23.08%

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

$29.2K CA$40.5K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

5.02%

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

$20.8K CA$28.9K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-22.87%

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

$145 CA$201

$105 ฿3,462

38.59%

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

$45.74 CA$63.4

$11.39 ฿376

301.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 CA$94.6

$17.54 ฿580

289.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 CA$75.1

$54.3 ฿1,795

-0.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.25 CA$41.95

$11.44 ฿378

164.42%

Cinema Ticket

$16.53 CA$22.93

$7.78 ฿257

112.47%

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

$1,191 CA$1,652

$576 ฿19.0K

106.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K CA$26.7K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

66.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 CA$97.3

$63.6 ฿2,103

10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CA$92.0

$29.10 ฿961

128.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 CA$137

$96.2 ฿3,179

2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$143

$90.0 ฿2,974

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,314

$733 ฿24.2K

127.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,961

$501 ฿16.5K

182.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 CA$3,608

$2,126 ฿70.2K

22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 CA$3,145

$1,252 ฿41.4K

81.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,211 CA$7,227

$3,534 ฿116.8K

47.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,155 CA$5,763

$2,622 ฿86.6K

58.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,223 CA$4,471

$508 ฿16.8K

535.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

5.57

-18.85%

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

Last update for Burlington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,669 in Burlington versus $733 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 535% higher in Burlington, 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 $71.0 in Burlington versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $275 – 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

Burlington vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 113%, 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 $4,040 per month in Burlington 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,191 per month in Burlington and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Burlington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Burlington at $2,693. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington 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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.