Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,925 per month in Mendrisio vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,848 per month in Mendrisio vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,771 per month in Mendrisio vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Mendrisio costs about 134% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mendrisio sits 119% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.74 CHF 24.85

$4.55 ฿153

575.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$186 CHF 151

$46.18 ฿1,554

303.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 15.20

$8.84 ฿298

112.67%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CHF 3.51

$3.06 ฿103

41.83%

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

$4.29 CHF 3.47

$0.73 ฿24.42

487.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$0.40 ฿13.40

815.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CHF 4.94

$2.43 ฿81.8

151.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CHF 4.89

$3.78 ฿127

60.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 1.02

$2.26 ฿76.0

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$1.81 ฿60.9

98.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$2.25 ฿75.8

118.67%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$2.25 ฿75.6

62.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.96 CHF 21.80

$19.51 ฿656

38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 CHF 12.33

$3.65 ฿123

317.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.08 CHF 38.07

$13.05 ฿439

260.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.56

$3.23 ฿109

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$1.62 ฿54.4

25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$2.38 ฿80.2

4.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$2.03 ฿68.2

171.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.53 ฿51.6

43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$1.50 ฿50.5

55.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$0.98 ฿32.93

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$0.52 ฿17.40

138.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.94

$4.44 ฿149

148.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CHF 10.22

$18.32 ฿616

-31.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$1.86 ฿62.7

41.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CHF 3.40

$2.68 ฿90.2

56.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$1.41 ฿47.49

131.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$11.70 ฿394

729.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.40

$3.11 ฿105

114.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$1.04 ฿35.08

316.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 49.66

$14.11 ฿475

335.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.31 ฿44.13

69.47%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

45.94%

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

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

11.33%

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

$203 CHF 164

$122 ฿4,120

65.98%

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

$29.66 CHF 23.98

$13.59 ฿457

118.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 CHF 40.07

$18.70 ฿629

165.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$60.5 ฿2,035

24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$18.57 CHF 15.01

$9.07 ฿305

104.74%

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

$1,255 CHF 1,015

$706 ฿23.8K

77.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

120.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 99.5

$58.6 ฿1,970

110.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 CHF 38.21

$35.36 ฿1,190

33.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$115 ฿3,885

13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 123

$83.7 ฿2,818

82.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CHF 1,139

$626 ฿21.1K

125.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CHF 998

$445 ฿15.0K

177.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 CHF 2,309

$2,040 ฿68.7K

40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 2,001

$1,492 ฿50.2K

65.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,924 CHF 5,598

$500 ฿16.8K

1285.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

5.33

-53.10%

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

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,409 in Mendrisio 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 1285% higher in Mendrisio, 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 $186 in Mendrisio versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $530 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

Mendrisio vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendrisio is pricier by about 134%, 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 $4,387 per month in Mendrisio 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.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Mendrisio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $186 in Mendrisio and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Mendrisio at $2,925. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendrisio 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, Mendrisio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.