Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,891 per month in Medicine Hat vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,809 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,726 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Medicine Hat costs about 51% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medicine Hat sits 42% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 CA$21.55

$4.55 ฿153

236.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$97.4

$46.18 ฿1,553

49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 CA$11.65

$8.84 ฿297

-6.33%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.47

$3.06 ฿103

27.12%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$0.73 ฿24.40

169.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.44

$0.40 ฿13.39

332.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$2.43 ฿81.8

113.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$3.78 ฿127

2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$2.26 ฿76.0

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$1.81 ฿60.9

4.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$2.25 ฿75.8

48.44%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.63

$2.25 ฿75.5

46.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 CA$11.54

$19.51 ฿656

-57.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 CA$15.68

$3.65 ฿123

205.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 CA$19.02

$13.05 ฿439

3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.23 ฿109

15.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.62 ฿54.4

-19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.38 ฿80.1

3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.64

$2.03 ฿68.1

62.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.53 ฿51.6

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.19

$1.50 ฿50.5

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$0.98 ฿32.91

179.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$0.52 ฿17.39

209.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 CA$16.63

$4.44 ฿149

166.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 CA$18.10

$18.32 ฿616

-29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$1.86 ฿62.7

38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$2.68 ฿90.1

36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$1.41 ฿47.46

65.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 CA$72.5

$11.70 ฿393

340.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.82

$3.11 ฿105

9.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.04 ฿35.06

31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.83 CA$40.57

$14.11 ฿474

104.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 CA$1.42

$1.31 ฿44.10

-22.90%

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

$24.8K CA$34.9K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-10.85%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.84%

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

$215 CA$302

$122 ฿4,118

75.35%

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

$40.79 CA$57.4

$13.59 ฿457

200.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$18.70 ฿629

215.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$80.4

$60.5 ฿2,034

-5.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.79 CA$51.8

$16.98 ฿571

116.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 CA$17.60

$9.07 ฿305

37.93%

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

$883 CA$1,243

$706 ฿23.8K

25.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.5K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 CA$73.2

$58.6 ฿1,969

-11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.27 CA$38.37

$35.36 ฿1,189

-22.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 CA$99.1

$115 ฿3,883

-39.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 CA$97.6

$83.7 ฿2,816

-17.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 CA$1,167

$626 ฿21.0K

32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CA$1,045

$445 ฿15.0K

66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,941

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 CA$1,695

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-19.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 CA$1,851

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-62.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,914 CA$2,693

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$500 ฿16.8K

489.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Medicine Hat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Medicine Hat versus $626 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 490% higher in Medicine Hat, 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 $69.0 in Medicine Hat versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $289 – 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

Medicine Hat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat costs about 51% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,837 per month in Medicine Hat and $1,875 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,891 in Medicine Hat and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 340% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Medicine Hat at $1,891. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medicine Hat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,891 in Medicine Hat. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Medicine Hat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.