Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Can Tho and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Can Tho: $724 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Can Tho, Vietnam
Phuket, Thailand
Can Tho
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$724
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Can Tho and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Can Tho and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $724 per month in Can Tho vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Can Tho $724
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Can Tho vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Can Tho $1,227
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Can Tho vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Can Tho $1,729
  • Phuket $3,115

Can Tho is about 44% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Can Tho and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Can Tho 46% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.40 ₫36.0K
$4.39 ฿148
-68.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.71 ₫610.8K
$32.31 ฿1,086
-26.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.78 ₫97.5K
$8.70 ฿293
-56.55%
Cappuccino
$1.51 ₫39.0K
$2.72 ฿91.6
-44.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₫13.6K
$0.93 ฿31.28
-43.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₫7,591
$0.50 ฿16.79
-42.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.07 ₫27.6K
$2.53 ฿85.1
-57.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 ₫29.1K
$3.63 ฿122
-68.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 ₫34.0K
$1.74 ฿58.5
-24.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 ₫30.3K
$1.45 ฿48.77
-18.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.80 ₫20.7K
$1.50 ฿50.5
-46.67%
Eggs
$1.42 ₫36.6K
$2.17 ฿73.0
-34.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.18 ₫313.7K
$19.09 ฿642
-36.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.57 ₫92.0K
$3.40 ฿114
5.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.94 ₫256.0K
$10.90 ฿366
-8.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 ₫81.0K
$2.94 ฿98.9
6.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 ₫33.1K
$1.69 ฿56.9
-24.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 ₫35.4K
$2.19 ฿73.8
-36.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.80 ₫20.7K
$2.12 ฿71.4
-62.26%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₫19.4K
$1.46 ฿49.03
-48.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 ₫24.2K
$1.37 ฿45.99
-31.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.80 ₫20.5K
$1.08 ฿36.17
-25.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₫14.4K
$0.55 ฿18.34
1.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22 ₫31.4K
$4.43 ฿149
-72.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₫197.7K
$18.25 ฿614
-57.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₫24.5K
$1.77 ฿59.6
-46.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 ₫36.5K
$2.88 ฿96.8
-50.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ₫7,882
$1.45 ฿48.66
-78.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.30 ₫162.3K
$54.9 ฿1,845
-88.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 ₫11.8K
$1.51 ฿50.9
-69.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 ₫15.2K
$0.78 ฿26.08
-24.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 ₫78.4K
$3.84 ฿129
-20.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 ₫23.6K
$1.49 ฿50.0
-38.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K ₫799.0M
$26.9K ฿903.7K
15.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K ₫745.6M
$26.3K ฿885.7K
9.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.32 ₫1.3M
$97.8 ฿3,288
-49.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.89 ₫100.3K
$11.29 ฿380
-65.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.61 ₫247.6K
$17.19 ฿578
-44.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.23 ₫521.3K
$68.3 ฿2,297
-70.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.59 ₫195.5K
$10.92 ฿367
-30.49%
Cinema Ticket
$3.36 ₫86.5K
$7.43 ฿250
-54.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$190 ₫4.9M
$530 ฿17.8K
-64.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,044 ₫181.4M
$18.8K ฿631.4K
-62.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.50 ₫502.4K
$61.7 ฿2,073
-68.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.70 ₫507.6K
$28.25 ฿950
-30.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.5 ₫2.4M
$96.0 ฿3,228
-3.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4 ₫2.4M
$86.8 ฿2,919
8.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 ₫11.1M
$721 ฿24.2K
-40.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$282 ₫7.3M
$509 ฿17.1K
-44.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$659 ₫17.0M
$1,950 ฿65.6K
-66.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$697 ₫18.0M
$1,397 ฿47.0K
-50.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,427 ₫62.5M
$4,192 ฿140.9K
-42.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,355 ₫34.9M
$3,298 ฿110.9K
-58.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Can Tho
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$161 ₫4.1M
$492 ฿16.5K
-67.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.64
5.57
55.12%

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

Last update for Can Tho: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Can Tho
$282
Phuket
$509 80.3% $227
Groceries & Markets
Can Tho
$188
Phuket
$267 42% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Can Tho
$102
Phuket
$123 20.6% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Can Tho
$63
Phuket
$126 101% $63
Eating Out
Can Tho
$52
Phuket
$120 132% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Can Tho
$27
Phuket
$83 209% $56
Getting Around
Can Tho
$11
Phuket
$66 505% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Can Tho versus $721 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 in Phuket are about 3.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Can Tho versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $267 – making Can Tho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Can Tho
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
20:49 8:49 PM
20:49 8:49 PM
Same time as Can Tho
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,258,900
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,880 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Can Tho Phuket 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Can Tho
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Can Tho vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Can Tho cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 79%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,086 per month in Can Tho and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Can Tho, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $432 there versus $721 in Phuket.
How do food prices compare in Can Tho and in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Can Tho or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Can Tho and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Can Tho or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Can Tho, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Can Tho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Can Tho or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Can Tho – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Can Tho or Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Can Tho. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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