Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Calgary versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Calgary versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,816 in Calgary versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Calgary is roughly 93% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 82% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$26.12

$4.53 ฿153

308.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$99.6

$46.36 ฿1,563

52.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.55

$8.65 ฿292

27.51%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.48

$3.09 ฿104

25.57%

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

$1.97 CA$2.79

$0.68 ฿22.86

189.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$0.37 ฿12.42

348.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.32

$2.42 ฿81.5

114.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.28

$3.81 ฿128

72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.18 ฿73.4

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.77

$1.82 ฿61.3

46.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.72

$2.18 ฿73.4

53.67%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.78

$2.24 ฿75.4

51.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.58

$19.93 ฿672

-26.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.27

$3.64 ฿123

255.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 CA$22.34

$13.56 ฿457

16.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.07

$3.29 ฿111

30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.84

$1.69 ฿56.8

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.47

$2.33 ฿78.7

66.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.96

$2.03 ฿68.3

107.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.60 ฿53.9

59.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$1.49 ฿50.4

82.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.87

$1.01 ฿34.13

171.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.73

$0.48 ฿16.07

302.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 CA$21.15

$4.45 ฿150

237.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.69

$18.63 ฿628

-21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.79 ฿60.2

61.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.68

$2.80 ฿94.3

43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$1.42 ฿47.84

96.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$121

$11.33 ฿382

656.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$3.09 ฿104

16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

$1.04 ฿35.15

29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 CA$40.68

$13.63 ฿459

111.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$1.31 ฿44.18

-17.56%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

$27.3K ฿919.6K

-6.90%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.75%

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

$216 CA$304

$123 ฿4,152

75.02%

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

$41.66 CA$58.8

$13.81 ฿465

201.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$82.8

$18.52 ฿624

216.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 CA$75.6

$60.4 ฿2,035

-11.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 CA$73.5

$16.80 ฿566

210.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.95

$8.89 ฿300

43.08%

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

$885 CA$1,248

$687 ฿23.1K

28.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.3K

$15.6K ฿524.2K

1.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$57.6 ฿1,943

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 CA$66.7

$34.66 ฿1,168

36.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 CA$124

$115 ฿3,874

-23.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$151

$84.9 ฿2,862

26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 CA$1,929

$618 ฿20.8K

121.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,666

$443 ฿14.9K

166.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 CA$3,335

$2,047 ฿69.0K

15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 CA$2,641

$1,506 ฿50.8K

24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,737 CA$5,270

$3,568 ฿120.3K

4.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,424 CA$4,829

$2,511 ฿84.6K

36.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 CA$4,229

$503 ฿16.9K

496.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,368 in Calgary and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 496% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Calgary vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 496% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,368 in Calgary versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Calgary versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,432 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.