Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Courtenay vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,072 per month in Courtenay vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Courtenay vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Courtenay costs about 70% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Courtenay sits 60% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.65 CA$17.57

$4.70 ฿154

169.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$80.6

$45.37 ฿1,483

27.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 CA$13.23

$8.43 ฿276

12.93%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.70

$2.93 ฿95.7

39.93%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$0.69 ฿22.42

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.80

$0.37 ฿12.00

248.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.25

$2.41 ฿78.7

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 CA$12.03

$3.72 ฿122

132.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.91

$2.23 ฿73.0

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.83 ฿59.9

24.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.15

$2.17 ฿70.9

4.15%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.54

$2.21 ฿72.4

47.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 CA$12.77

$19.74 ฿645

-53.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 CA$13.96

$3.63 ฿119

176.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.01

$13.53 ฿442

-25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.41

$3.28 ฿107

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.61 ฿52.7

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.46

$2.41 ฿78.7

3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.37

$2.08 ฿68.1

50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.41

$1.53 ฿49.97

60.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$1.48 ฿48.41

43.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$0.99 ฿32.32

92.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$0.51 ฿16.68

137.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.55

$4.41 ฿144

235.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 CA$15.16

$19.38 ฿634

-43.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.48

$1.78 ฿58.1

80.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.71 ฿88.7

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.37 ฿44.83

6.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.85 CA$60.9

$11.39 ฿372

284.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.02 ฿98.7

6.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$0.99 ฿32.51

41.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.10 CA$25.15

$14.10 ฿461

28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.36 ฿44.55

-2.94%

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

$13.2K CA$18.4K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-53.06%

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

$19.0K CA$26.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-42.36%

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

$111 CA$154

$122 ฿3,978

-8.82%

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

$45.30 CA$62.9

$13.57 ฿444

233.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.18 CA$62.8

$18.31 ฿599

146.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.6

$60.2 ฿1,969

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.04 CA$57.0

$17.14 ฿560

139.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.64

$8.69 ฿284

29.57%

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

$930 CA$1,291

$693 ฿22.7K

34.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.62 CA$67.6

$59.5 ฿1,946

-18.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 CA$46.76

$34.77 ฿1,137

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 CA$114

$115 ฿3,746

-28.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 CA$87.9

$83.3 ฿2,723

-24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 CA$1,881

$613 ฿20.0K

120.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CA$1,620

$437 ฿14.3K

166.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 CA$3,038

$2,094 ฿68.5K

4.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,313

$1,509 ฿49.3K

10.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,507 CA$6,262

$3,749 ฿122.6K

20.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,096 CA$5,691

$2,616 ฿85.5K

56.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,325 CA$4,619

$508 ฿16.6K

554.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.33

14.07%

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

Last update for Courtenay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,354 in Courtenay versus $613 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 run about 554% higher in Courtenay, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Courtenay versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Courtenay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,224 per month in Courtenay and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Courtenay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Courtenay and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Courtenay at $2,149. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Courtenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.