😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,616 in Campbell River versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,770 in Campbell River versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,924 in Campbell River versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Campbell River is roughly 107% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Campbell River is 95% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.75CA$26.05
$4.70฿154
298.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.9CA$103
$45.37฿1,483
62.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.05CA$15.36
$8.43฿276
31.08%
Cappuccino
$3.97CA$5.52
$2.93฿95.7
35.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38CA$3.31
$0.69฿22.42
244.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09CA$1.51
$0.37฿12.00
194.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.09CA$7.07
$2.41฿78.7
111.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.43CA$8.94
$3.72฿122
72.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.02CA$4.19
$2.23฿73.0
35.43%
White Bread(500g)
$3.23CA$4.48
$1.83฿59.9
76.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.18CA$7.20
$2.17฿70.9
138.71%
Eggs
$4.32CA$6.01
$2.21฿72.4
95.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.46CA$11.76
$19.74฿645
-57.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.77CA$13.57
$3.63฿119
169.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.63CA$21.71
$13.53฿442
15.52%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30CA$4.58
$3.28฿107
0.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59CA$2.21
$1.61฿52.7
-1.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.59CA$4.98
$2.41฿78.7
48.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.74CA$5.20
$2.08฿68.1
79.81%
Potato(1kg)
$3.84CA$5.34
$1.53฿49.97
150.98%
Onion(1kg)
$3.01CA$4.19
$1.48฿48.41
103.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.78CA$3.86
$0.99฿32.32
180.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.74CA$3.81
$0.51฿16.68
437.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.40CA$21.40
$4.41฿144
249.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.85CA$24.80
$19.38฿634
-7.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.94CA$5.47
$1.78฿58.1
121.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45CA$6.18
$2.71฿88.7
64.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.45CA$2.02
$1.37฿44.83
5.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$61.9CA$86.0
$11.39฿372
443.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.83CA$3.93
$3.02฿98.7
-6.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39CA$1.93
$0.99฿32.51
40.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.26CA$46.21
$14.10฿461
135.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35CA$1.88
$1.36฿44.55
-0.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4KCA$35.3K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-9.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3KCA$29.6K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-35.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$54.4CA$75.6
$122฿3,978
-55.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5CA$74.3
$13.57฿444
294.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.7CA$102
$18.31฿599
302.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.56CA$67.5
$60.2฿1,969
-19.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.91CA$15.16
$8.69฿284
25.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$634CA$881
$693฿22.7K
-8.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.0KCA$19.5K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-10.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58CA$63.3
$59.5฿1,946
-23.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.85CA$62.3
$34.77฿1,137
28.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.3CA$105
$115฿3,746
-34.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.2CA$131
$83.3฿2,723
13.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,552CA$2,157
$613฿20.0K
153.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,507CA$2,094
$437฿14.3K
244.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,511CA$3,489
$2,094฿68.5K
19.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,289CA$3,181
$1,509฿49.3K
51.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Campbell River
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,365CA$3,286
$508฿16.6K
365.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.38
5.33
19.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Campbell River: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,552 in Campbell River and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Campbell River pays 365% 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: $74.0 in Campbell River vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $293 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
Campbell River vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Campbell River or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Campbell River. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Campbell River or Phuket?
Campbell River pays 365% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Campbell River vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,552 in Campbell River versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Campbell River vs Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 443% less than in Campbell River. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Campbell River and Phuket?
Childcare runs $634 in Campbell River versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Campbell River or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,616 in Campbell River, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Campbell River or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Campbell River compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Campbell River 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Campbell River vs other spots: cost of living compared