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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Burlington costs about 120% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burlington sits 107% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$4.70 ฿153

328.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$45.37 ฿1,482

64.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$8.43 ฿275

30.01%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$2.93 ฿95.6

25.26%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$0.69 ฿22.40

191.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$0.37 ฿11.99

367.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$2.41 ฿78.6

142.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$3.72 ฿122

75.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.23 ฿72.9

-10.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$1.83 ฿59.8

67.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$2.17 ฿70.8

98.62%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$2.21 ฿72.3

44.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$19.74 ฿645

-30.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$3.63 ฿119

151.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$13.53 ฿442

62.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$3.28 ฿107

5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.61 ฿52.6

-11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.41 ฿78.6

54.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$2.08 ฿68.1

67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.53 ฿49.93

27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$1.48 ฿48.36

20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$0.99 ฿32.29

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$0.51 ฿16.67

292.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$4.41 ฿144

234.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$19.38 ฿633

-34.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$1.78 ฿58.1

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.71 ฿88.6

-14.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$1.37 ฿44.79

147.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$11.39 ฿372

824.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$3.02 ฿98.6

-23.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.99 ฿32.48

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$14.10 ฿461

210.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.36 ฿44.51

-13.97%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-10.89%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.89%

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

$131 CA$182

$122 ฿3,975

7.33%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$13.57 ฿443

292.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$18.31 ฿598

239.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$60.2 ฿1,967

-24.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$17.14 ฿560

35.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$8.69 ฿284

29.11%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$693 ฿22.6K

37.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

52.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$59.5 ฿1,944

4.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$34.77 ฿1,136

99.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$115 ฿3,743

-23.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$83.3 ฿2,720

63.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$613 ฿20.0K

182.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$437 ฿14.3K

236.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$2,094 ฿68.4K

26.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$1,509 ฿49.3K

61.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$3,749 ฿122.5K

53.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$2,616 ฿85.4K

73.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$508 ฿16.6K

545.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.33

20.08%

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

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington 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 545% 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 $74.0 in Burlington versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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

Burlington vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 120%, 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 $4,167 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 $952 per month in Burlington and $693 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 $2,778. 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.