Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Marathon vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,508 per month in Marathon vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,549 per month in Marathon vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Marathon costs about 98% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marathon sits 83% above the global median, while Phuket is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$25.68

$4.59 ฿147

308.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$81.9

$46.83 ฿1,501

27.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 CA$17.26

$8.70 ฿279

44.83%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$2.92 ฿93.7

26.03%

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

$1.79 CA$2.46

$0.68 ฿21.92

163.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$0.40 ฿12.70

270.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.13

$2.51 ฿80.4

107.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CA$6.92

$3.80 ฿122

32.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.36

$2.16 ฿69.3

13.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.46

$1.88 ฿60.3

34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.16 ฿69.2

20.83%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.03

$2.22 ฿71.2

32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.04

$19.57 ฿627

-55.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 CA$23.12

$3.80 ฿122

344.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$21.95

$13.41 ฿430

19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$3.26 ฿104

10.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.61 ฿51.7

-32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.57

$2.31 ฿74.0

44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$2.06 ฿66.0

53.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$1.61 ฿51.5

67.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 CA$1.35

$1.44 ฿46.26

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 CA$3.99

$1.03 ฿33.01

183.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$0.48 ฿15.39

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$4.50 ฿144

106.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.05

$19.18 ฿615

-31.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.17

$1.82 ฿58.4

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.69 ฿86.2

1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$1.38 ฿44.16

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$84.4

$11.76 ฿377

424.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$3.11 ฿99.6

4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.00 ฿32.18

49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.61

$13.74 ฿441

89.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.30 ฿41.61

-13.85%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$27.4K ฿877.0K

-8.12%

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

$20.2K CA$27.7K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-38.80%

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

$206 CA$282

$125 ฿4,004

64.68%

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

$44.11 CA$60.4

$13.74 ฿440

221.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 CA$111

$18.61 ฿597

334.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 CA$57.6

$60.6 ฿1,941

-30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$14.70

$9.01 ฿289

19.09%

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

$737 CA$1,009

$698 ฿22.4K

5.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$16.1K ฿516.5K

-26.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 CA$81.7

$59.2 ฿1,898

0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$34.86 ฿1,118

6.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$106

$114 ฿3,662

-32.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$191

$85.8 ฿2,751

62.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,799

$619 ฿19.8K

112.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,603

$437 ฿14.0K

167.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CA$2,748

$2,075 ฿66.5K

-3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CA$2,500

$1,509 ฿48.4K

20.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,406 CA$6,036

$3,764 ฿120.7K

17.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,723 CA$5,100

$2,694 ฿86.4K

38.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 CA$2,523

$528 ฿16.9K

248.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.33

16.14%

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

Last update for Marathon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,313 in Marathon versus $619 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 249% higher in Marathon, 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 $60 in Marathon versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $292 – 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

Marathon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 98%, 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 $3,700 per month in Marathon and $1,870 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.

Kindergarten costs $737 per month in Marathon and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Marathon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Marathon at $2,466. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon 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, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.