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 $1,870 per month in Medicine Hat vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,625 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Medicine Hat costs about 48% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medicine Hat sits 40% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 CA$21.65

$4.70 ฿153

231.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.2

$45.37 ฿1,482

57.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CA$11.35

$8.43 ฿275

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.17

$2.93 ฿95.6

26.96%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$0.69 ฿22.40

188.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.37 ฿11.99

364.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$2.41 ฿78.6

109.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.47

$3.72 ฿122

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$2.23 ฿72.9

-30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$1.83 ฿59.8

-0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$2.17 ฿70.8

57.60%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$2.21 ฿72.3

45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 CA$11.37

$19.74 ฿645

-58.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 CA$15.65

$3.63 ฿119

209.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$13.53 ฿442

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$3.28 ฿107

16.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.61 ฿52.6

-16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$2.41 ฿78.6

4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$2.08 ฿68.1

60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.53 ฿49.93

-2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.48 ฿48.36

3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$0.99 ฿32.29

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$0.51 ฿16.67

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CA$16.32

$4.41 ฿144

165.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$19.38 ฿633

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.78 ฿58.1

48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$2.71 ฿88.6

35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.37 ฿44.79

70.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$70.9

$11.39 ฿372

347.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.99

$3.02 ฿98.6

18.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$0.99 ฿32.48

31.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 CA$40.60

$14.10 ฿461

107.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.36 ฿44.51

-22.06%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-11.45%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.62%

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

$212 CA$295

$122 ฿3,975

74.46%

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

$41.51 CA$57.7

$13.57 ฿443

205.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$82.1

$18.31 ฿598

222.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$60.2 ฿1,967

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.53 CA$52.2

$17.14 ฿560

118.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.07

$8.69 ฿284

41.31%

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

$877 CA$1,220

$693 ฿22.6K

26.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$59.5 ฿1,944

-10.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 CA$38.67

$34.77 ฿1,136

-20.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 CA$96.4

$115 ฿3,743

-39.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 CA$97.3

$83.3 ฿2,720

-15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 CA$1,134

$613 ฿20.0K

32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,016

$437 ฿14.3K

67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,955

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-32.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,670

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-20.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 CA$1,907

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-63.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 CA$2,742

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-24.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,168

$508 ฿16.6K

489.82%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Medicine Hat versus $613 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 $71.0 in Medicine Hat versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $293 – 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 48% 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 $2,805 per month in Medicine Hat and $1,898 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 $1,870 in Medicine Hat and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 348% 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 $1,265, than in Medicine Hat at $1,870. 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 $1,265 versus $1,870 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.