Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,408 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,508 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 91% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 81% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.76 CA$33.35

$4.48 ฿150

430.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 CA$98.5

$45.59 ฿1,525

53.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 CA$15.57

$8.76 ฿293

26.60%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.27

$2.97 ฿99.3

26.60%

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

$1.99 CA$2.79

$0.69 ฿22.96

188.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.39 ฿13.07

335.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.63

$2.53 ฿84.7

115.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.41

$3.75 ฿125

59.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.15 ฿71.8

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.82 ฿60.7

48.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$2.18 ฿73.1

61.01%

Eggs

$3.51 CA$4.93

$2.25 ฿75.2

56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.93

$20.00 ฿669

-43.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.59

$3.63 ฿121

225.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 CA$20.90

$13.56 ฿453

9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.56

$3.24 ฿109

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.99

$1.64 ฿54.7

-14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$2.33 ฿78.0

61.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$2.07 ฿69.3

85.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$1.55 ฿51.8

58.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.46 ฿48.67

73.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$0.98 ฿32.94

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$0.48 ฿16.13

268.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$19.23

$4.35 ฿146

214.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.44

$18.57 ฿621

-33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.05

$1.86 ฿62.1

55.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.65 ฿88.8

15.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.42 ฿47.40

71.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$86.5

$11.57 ฿387

432.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.48

$3.17 ฿106

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.03 ฿34.51

40.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 CA$36.78

$13.89 ฿465

88.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.34 ฿44.96

-16.42%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-11.23%

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

$20.2K CA$28.4K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-39.43%

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

$141 CA$198

$123 ฿4,116

14.58%

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

$43.14 CA$60.6

$13.77 ฿461

213.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$88.7

$18.33 ฿613

244.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 CA$59.5

$60.7 ฿2,030

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.80

$8.87 ฿297

26.94%

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

$738 CA$1,036

$688 ฿23.0K

7.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-24.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$74.8

$59.3 ฿1,984

-10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.86 CA$54.5

$34.69 ฿1,160

12.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 CA$120

$115 ฿3,853

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$83.8 ฿2,802

30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,808

$621 ฿20.8K

107.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CA$1,648

$446 ฿14.9K

163.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,801

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,506

$1,496 ฿50.0K

19.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,699 CA$5,191

$3,455 ฿115.6K

7.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,096 CA$4,345

$2,531 ฿84.7K

22.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Cambridge Bay: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Cambridge Bay and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $291 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

Cambridge Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay and Phuket differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($2,408 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,613 in Cambridge Bay and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,288 in Cambridge Bay versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,408 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 432% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cambridge Bay 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 91% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.