Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,934 in Iqaluit, NU, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in Iqaluit, NU
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Iqaluit, NU Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Iqaluit, NU

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,934

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iqaluit, NU 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 Iqaluit, NU and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,934 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,207 in Phuket.

Iqaluit, NU $2,934
Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,585 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,037 in Phuket.

Iqaluit, NU $4,585
Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,236 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,867 in Phuket.

Iqaluit, NU $6,236
Phuket $2,867

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 143% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 117% above, Phuket is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.82 CA$37.92

$4.58 ฿153

485.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 CA$89.6

$32.48 ฿1,086

95.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.91 CA$18.25

$8.55 ฿286

50.99%

Cappuccino

$7.02 CA$9.92

$2.72 ฿91.0

158.09%

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

$3.71 CA$5.25

$0.94 ฿31.25

294.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.29

$0.49 ฿16.39

230.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CA$9.51

$2.59 ฿86.6

159.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 CA$7.70

$3.83 ฿128

42.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$1.74 ฿58.1

40.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.43 ฿47.82

78.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.50

$1.53 ฿51.0

107.84%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.82

$2.17 ฿72.7

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 CA$13.73

$19.15 ฿640

-49.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.07 CA$18.48

$3.30 ฿110

296.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 CA$20.47

$11.14 ฿372

29.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.23

$2.95 ฿98.5

25.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.89

$1.68 ฿56.1

-20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.06

$2.30 ฿76.8

55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.38

$2.13 ฿71.3

78.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.40

$1.53 ฿51.1

57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CA$3.06

$1.36 ฿45.55

58.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.35

$1.12 ฿37.44

111.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.24

$0.55 ฿18.24

187.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.62

$4.26 ฿142

225.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$18.12

$18.19 ฿608

-29.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 CA$3.60

$1.74 ฿58.2

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.24

$2.79 ฿93.3

7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.15

$2.22 ฿74.1

0.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 CA$87.0

$22.06 ฿737

178.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.57 CA$9.28

$2.91 ฿97.3

125.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.95

$1.01 ฿33.79

36.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.20 CA$28.56

$3.83 ฿128

427.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.61

$1.49 ฿49.85

-23.49%

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

$38.0K CA$53.7K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

42.50%

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

$30.1K CA$42.5K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

12.64%

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

$114 CA$161

$99.4 ฿3,321

14.53%

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

$38.71 CA$54.7

$11.28 ฿377

243.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 CA$75.8

$17.36 ฿580

208.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.57 CA$57.4

$52.3 ฿1,747

-22.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.61 CA$24.90

$10.85 ฿362

62.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 CA$11.44

$7.57 ฿253

6.87%

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

$755 CA$1,067

$558 ฿18.7K

35.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K CA$18.5K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

13.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$74.5

$62.9 ฿2,102

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.18 CA$54.0

$28.58 ฿955

33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 CA$121

$96.1 ฿3,213

-10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$145

$88.1 ฿2,943

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 CA$2,475

$729 ฿24.4K

140.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,404

$460 ฿15.4K

269.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CA$4,068

$2,096 ฿70.0K

37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,448 CA$4,874

$1,222 ฿40.8K

182.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,252 CA$6,011

$3,459 ฿115.6K

22.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,525 CA$4,983

$2,489 ฿83.2K

41.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,135 CA$5,845

$493 ฿16.5K

738.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.57

-4.49%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: October 10, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iqaluit, NU

$1.7K 58%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 72.9% $1.2K

Eating Out

Iqaluit, NU

$403 13.8%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 69.9% $282

Groceries & Markets

Iqaluit, NU

$358 12.2%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 25.4% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iqaluit, NU

$206 7%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 37.9% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Iqaluit, NU

$125 4.3%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 1.1% $1.4

Getting Around

Iqaluit, NU

$84 2.9%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 53.6% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Iqaluit, NU

$57 1.9%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 18.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,751 in Iqaluit, NU and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 739% 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: $63.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $268 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Iqaluit, NU

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

05:24 5:24 AM

16:24 4:24 PM

11 h ahead of Iqaluit, NU

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

79,308

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Iqaluit, NU Phuket 11,970 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Iqaluit, NU
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

Iqaluit, NU vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 739% higher in Iqaluit, NU, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,751 in Iqaluit, NU versus $729 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $755 in Iqaluit, NU versus $558 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,934 in Iqaluit, NU, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iqaluit, NU, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iqaluit, NU 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 143% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.