Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,298 in High Level versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,371 in High Level versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,445 in High Level versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in High Level is roughly 84% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: High Level is 72% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 CA$24.18

$4.55 ฿153

279.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 CA$97.9

$46.18 ฿1,550

51.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$8.84 ฿297

22.62%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.21

$3.06 ฿103

21.24%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$0.73 ฿24.36

180.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$0.40 ฿13.37

307.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$2.43 ฿81.6

128.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$8.18

$3.78 ฿127

54.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$2.26 ฿75.8

-3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.81 ฿60.8

48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$2.25 ฿75.7

60.00%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.94

$2.25 ฿75.4

56.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.85

$19.51 ฿655

-42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 CA$16.48

$3.65 ฿122

222.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.45

$13.05 ฿438

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.73

$3.23 ฿109

26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.62 ฿54.3

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.09

$2.38 ฿80.0

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.16

$2.03 ฿68.0

81.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$1.53 ฿51.5

61.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$1.50 ฿50.4

66.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CA$3.56

$0.98 ฿32.85

159.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$0.52 ฿17.36

226.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.64

$4.44 ฿149

215.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 CA$19.33

$18.32 ฿615

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$1.86 ฿62.6

56.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.68 ฿90.0

13.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$1.41 ฿47.37

71.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$11.70 ฿393

439.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.11 ฿104

0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$1.04 ฿35.00

41.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.17 CA$36.69

$14.11 ฿474

85.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.31 ฿44.02

-10.69%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-8.54%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.75%

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

$143 CA$200

$122 ฿4,110

16.54%

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

$43.91 CA$61.6

$13.59 ฿456

223.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$89.3

$18.70 ฿628

240.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 CA$59.5

$60.5 ฿2,031

-29.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 CA$16.18

$9.07 ฿305

27.23%

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

$731 CA$1,025

$706 ฿23.7K

3.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.8K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-24.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.1

$58.6 ฿1,965

-6.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.76 CA$55.8

$35.36 ฿1,187

12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 CA$123

$115 ฿3,876

-23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$83.7 ฿2,811

26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CA$1,874

$626 ฿21.0K

113.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$445 ฿14.9K

168.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 CA$2,510

$1,492 ฿50.1K

19.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,689 CA$5,171

$3,483 ฿116.9K

5.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,814 CA$5,347

$2,577 ฿86.5K

48.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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 High Level: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,337 in High Level and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in High Level vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $289 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

High Level vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

High Level and Phuket differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($2,298 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,447 in High Level and $1,875 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: $1,337 in High Level versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,298 per month in High Level versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 440% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,298 in High Level, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in High Level. 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, High Level 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 84% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.