Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Montreal costs about 67% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreal sits 53% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$4.66 ฿154

282.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$32.22 ฿1,065

128.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$8.68 ฿287

24.54%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$2.90 ฿95.8

35.17%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$0.84 ฿27.89

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$0.49 ฿16.16

210.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$2.48 ฿82.0

165.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$3.73 ฿123

91.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$1.89 ฿62.3

25.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$1.41 ฿46.54

129.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.62 ฿53.6

82.10%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$2.24 ฿74.1

64.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$19.84 ฿656

-31.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$3.48 ฿115

243.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$11.37 ฿376

23.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$2.90 ฿95.8

24.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.72 ฿57.0

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$2.27 ฿75.1

44.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.13 ฿70.4

44.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.47 ฿48.72

36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$1.42 ฿46.92

33.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.10 ฿36.25

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$0.60 ฿19.76

131.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$4.31 ฿142

173.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$18.60 ฿615

-41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$1.80 ฿59.5

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.97 ฿98.0

-2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.25 ฿74.2

21.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$23.49 ฿776

228.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$3.10 ฿102

6.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.08 ฿35.56

35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$3.87 ฿128

752.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.43 ฿47.16

-8.39%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

3.39%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-24.22%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$105 ฿3,462

-23.78%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$11.39 ฿376

205.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$17.54 ฿580

142.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$54.3 ฿1,795

-46.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$11.44 ฿378

77.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$7.78 ฿257

47.56%

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

$565 CA$784

$576 ฿19.0K

-1.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

43.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$63.6 ฿2,103

-5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$29.10 ฿961

43.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$96.2 ฿3,179

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$90.0 ฿2,974

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$733 ฿24.2K

76.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$501 ฿16.5K

102.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,126 ฿70.2K

6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,252 ฿41.4K

34.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$3,534 ฿116.8K

45.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$2,622 ฿86.6K

46.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$508 ฿16.8K

497.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.57

-20.29%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $733 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 497% higher in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $275 – 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

Montreal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 67% 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 $3,163 per month in Montreal 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 30% more in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $32.00 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 Montreal at $2,108. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,108 in Montreal. 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, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.