😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,042 in Chatham-Kent versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,021 in Chatham-Kent versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Chatham-Kent is roughly 61% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chatham-Kent is 52% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.50CA$20.08
$4.70฿153
208.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.7CA$91.0
$45.37฿1,482
44.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.54CA$13.20
$8.43฿275
13.17%
Cappuccino
$3.10CA$4.29
$2.93฿95.6
5.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57CA$2.17
$0.69฿22.40
127.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60CA$2.21
$0.37฿11.99
332.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.63CA$7.80
$2.41฿78.6
133.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03CA$8.35
$3.72฿122
62.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.24CA$3.10
$2.23฿72.9
0.45%
White Bread(500g)
$2.23CA$3.09
$1.83฿59.8
21.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.69CA$3.72
$2.17฿70.8
23.96%
Eggs
$3.03CA$4.19
$2.21฿72.3
37.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32CA$11.52
$19.74฿645
-57.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.64CA$16.11
$3.63฿119
220.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.93CA$16.51
$13.53฿442
-11.83%
Apples(1kg)
$4.03CA$5.58
$3.28฿107
22.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17CA$1.63
$1.61฿52.6
-27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.32CA$4.60
$2.41฿78.6
37.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.65CA$5.05
$2.08฿68.1
75.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36CA$3.27
$1.53฿49.93
54.25%
Onion(1kg)
$2.81CA$3.89
$1.48฿48.36
89.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.03CA$2.81
$0.99฿32.29
105.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58CA$2.19
$0.51฿16.67
209.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.11CA$15.39
$4.41฿144
151.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.19CA$14.10
$19.38฿633
-47.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18CA$1.64
$1.78฿58.1
-33.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76CA$3.82
$2.71฿88.6
1.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.81CA$2.51
$1.37฿44.79
32.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$61.7CA$85.4
$11.39฿372
441.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.18CA$3.02
$3.02฿98.6
-27.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.68CA$2.33
$0.99฿32.48
69.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.64CA$25.81
$14.10฿461
32.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06CA$1.46
$1.36฿44.51
-22.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0KCA$34.6K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-11.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.4KCA$28.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-38.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187CA$259
$122฿3,975
53.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.25CA$51.6
$13.57฿443
174.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7CA$77.1
$18.31฿598
203.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.95CA$20.71
$60.2฿1,967
-75.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.15CA$14.05
$8.69฿284
16.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$547CA$757
$693฿22.6K
-21.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3KCA$14.2K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-34.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0CA$73.4
$59.5฿1,944
-10.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11CA$36.16
$34.77฿1,136
-24.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.3CA$96.0
$115฿3,743
-39.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9CA$123
$83.3฿2,720
6.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,464CA$2,028
$613฿20.0K
138.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,029CA$1,425
$437฿14.3K
135.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,833CA$2,538
$2,094฿68.4K
-12.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,650CA$2,285
$1,509฿49.3K
9.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chatham-Kent
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,169CA$4,388
$508฿16.6K
523.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.74
5.33
7.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chatham-Kent: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,464 in Chatham-Kent and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Chatham-Kent pays 524% 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: $66.0 in Chatham-Kent vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 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
Chatham-Kent vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chatham-Kent or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Chatham-Kent. 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 Chatham-Kent or Phuket?
Chatham-Kent pays 524% 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 Chatham-Kent vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,464 in Chatham-Kent versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Chatham-Kent vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $66.0 in Chatham-Kent. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Chatham-Kent compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,042 per month in Chatham-Kent versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chatham-Kent or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Chatham-Kent, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Chatham-Kent. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chatham-Kent 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 Chatham-Kent compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Chatham-Kent 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 61% less than in Chatham-Kent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chatham-Kent vs other spots: cost of living compared