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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,891 per month in Mendrisio vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,788 per month in Mendrisio vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,685 per month in Mendrisio vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Mendrisio costs about 129% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mendrisio sits 116% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.18 CHF 24.58

$4.70 ฿153

563.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$187 CHF 148

$45.37 ฿1,482

312.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.74 CHF 14.77

$8.43 ฿275

122.30%

Cappuccino

$4.32 CHF 3.40

$2.93 ฿95.6

47.44%

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

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$0.69 ฿22.40

518.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 CHF 2.98

$0.37 ฿11.99

924.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 CHF 4.73

$2.41 ฿78.6

148.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 4.96

$3.72 ฿122

69.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 0.99

$2.23 ฿72.9

-43.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 CHF 2.75

$1.83 ฿59.8

90.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 CHF 3.67

$2.17 ฿70.8

114.75%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.88

$2.21 ฿72.3

65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.69 CHF 21.04

$19.74 ฿645

35.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 CHF 11.96

$3.63 ฿119

317.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.25 CHF 38.04

$13.53 ฿442

256.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.48

$3.28 ฿107

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.61

$1.61 ฿52.6

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.41 ฿78.6

4.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 CHF 4.31

$2.08 ฿68.1

162.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.53 ฿49.93

41.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$1.48 ฿48.36

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$0.99 ฿32.29

164.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.02

$0.51 ฿16.67

152.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.75

$4.41 ฿144

151.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CHF 10.22

$19.38 ฿633

-33.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.12

$1.78 ฿58.1

51.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CHF 3.21

$2.71 ฿88.6

50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 CHF 2.53

$1.37 ฿44.79

134.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$11.39 ฿372

771.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.42

$3.02 ฿98.6

127.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.40 CHF 3.47

$0.99 ฿32.48

344.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 CHF 48.31

$14.10 ฿461

334.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$1.36 ฿44.51

63.97%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

40.66%

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

$37.2K CHF 29.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

13.17%

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

$203 CHF 160

$122 ฿3,975

66.74%

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

$29.92 CHF 23.59

$13.57 ฿443

120.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.39 CHF 38.94

$18.31 ฿598

169.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 CHF 58.5

$60.2 ฿1,967

23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 CHF 14.32

$8.69 ฿284

108.98%

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

$1,233 CHF 972

$693 ฿22.6K

77.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

120.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 96.6

$59.5 ฿1,944

105.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 CHF 37.72

$34.77 ฿1,136

37.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 CHF 107

$115 ฿3,743

18.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 CHF 118

$83.3 ฿2,720

80.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 CHF 1,124

$613 ฿20.0K

132.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 CHF 966

$437 ฿14.3K

180.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 CHF 2,258

$2,094 ฿68.4K

36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CHF 1,946

$1,509 ฿49.3K

63.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,182 CHF 5,662

$508 ฿16.6K

1313.43%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,425 in Mendrisio 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 1313% 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 $187 in Mendrisio versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $531 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

Mendrisio vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendrisio is pricier by about 129%, 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 $4,337 per month in Mendrisio 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.

Groceries cost about 81% 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 $187 in Mendrisio and $45.00 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 $1,265, than in Mendrisio at $2,891. 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.