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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,219 per month in Marathon vs $1,243 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,242 per month in Marathon vs $2,023 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,265 per month in Marathon vs $2,803 in Phuket, rent included.

Marathon costs about 78% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marathon sits 64% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 CA$25.70

$4.37 ฿147

312.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 CA$90.5

$32.87 ฿1,103

93.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 CA$17.21

$8.39 ฿282

43.86%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CA$4.44

$2.73 ฿91.8

13.92%

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

$2.14 CA$3.05

$0.88 ฿29.59

143.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.21

$0.47 ฿15.92

229.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.52 CA$7.87

$2.36 ฿79.1

133.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CA$8.74

$3.71 ฿124

65.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.95

$1.83 ฿61.5

13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.59

$1.45 ฿48.58

73.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.73

$1.58 ฿52.9

110.13%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.92

$2.10 ฿70.4

64.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 CA$14.15

$19.37 ฿650

-48.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 CA$16.06

$3.42 ฿115

229.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 CA$20.37

$10.96 ฿368

30.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.23

$3.00 ฿101

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.83

$1.64 ฿54.9

-21.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.08

$2.21 ฿74.1

61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.48

$2.12 ฿71.2

81.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.55

$1.47 ฿49.34

69.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.19

$1.32 ฿44.37

69.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.54

$1.07 ฿35.93

132.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.22

$0.52 ฿17.61

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 CA$20.51

$4.38 ฿147

228.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$18.00

$18.59 ฿624

-32.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.70

$1.75 ฿58.6

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.34

$2.86 ฿95.8

6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 CA$2.95

$2.26 ฿76.0

-8.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 CA$99.6

$22.98 ฿771

204.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$2.94 ฿98.7

-6.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.82

$1.07 ฿35.84

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.55 CA$37.85

$3.84 ฿129

591.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.66

$1.46 ฿48.96

-20.55%

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

$24.3K CA$34.7K

$27.2K ฿912.2K

-10.59%

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

$20.0K CA$28.5K

$26.6K ฿893.5K

-24.82%

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

$137 CA$196

$102 ฿3,420

34.73%

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

$37.82 CA$53.9

$10.96 ฿368

245.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$77.1

$16.89 ฿567

220.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 CA$56.2

$52.4 ฿1,758

-24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 CA$24.28

$10.93 ฿367

55.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 CA$16.03

$7.52 ฿252

49.47%

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

$690 CA$983

$547 ฿18.3K

26.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.7K

$11.3K ฿379.5K

9.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 CA$74.7

$63.2 ฿2,122

-17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.21 CA$53.0

$29.23 ฿981

27.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$119

$97.8 ฿3,282

-14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 CA$141

$86.7 ฿2,909

14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 CA$1,750

$721 ฿24.2K

70.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 CA$1,618

$476 ฿16.0K

138.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,820

$2,081 ฿69.8K

-4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,452

$1,194 ฿40.1K

44.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,937

$3,577 ฿120.0K

16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,718 CA$5,299

$2,541 ฿85.3K

46.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 CA$2,491

$489 ฿16.4K

257.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.57

-16.70%

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

Last update for Marathon: September 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,228 in Marathon versus $721 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 257% 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 $63.0 in Marathon versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $269 – 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 78%, 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 $3,328 per month in Marathon and $1,865 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 $690 per month in Marathon and $547 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,243, than in Marathon at $2,219. 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.