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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Montreal sits 56% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$4.55 ฿153

263.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$46.18 ฿1,553

60.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$8.84 ฿297

23.76%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.06 ฿103

25.49%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$0.73 ฿24.40

193.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.40 ฿13.39

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$2.43 ฿81.8

152.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$3.78 ฿127

78.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.26 ฿76.0

3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.81 ฿60.9

84.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$2.25 ฿75.8

66.22%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.25 ฿75.5

50.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$19.51 ฿656

-16.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$3.65 ฿123

223.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$13.05 ฿439

19.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.23 ฿109

14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.62 ฿54.4

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.38 ฿80.1

72.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$2.03 ฿68.1

117.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$1.53 ฿51.6

82.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.50 ฿50.5

76.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$0.98 ฿32.91

133.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$0.52 ฿17.39

242.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$4.44 ฿149

196.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$18.32 ฿616

-41.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.86 ฿62.7

60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.68 ฿90.1

28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$1.41 ฿47.46

99.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$11.70 ฿393

522.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.11 ฿105

13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.04 ฿35.06

39.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$14.11 ฿474

143.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.31 ฿44.10

-6.87%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-9.21%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-33.36%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$122 ฿4,118

-37.52%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$13.59 ฿457

161.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$18.70 ฿629

129.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$60.5 ฿2,034

-28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$16.98 ฿571

-0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$9.07 ฿305

22.27%

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

$625 CA$879

$706 ฿23.8K

-11.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-62.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$58.6 ฿1,969

7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$35.36 ฿1,189

25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$115 ฿3,883

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$83.7 ฿2,816

41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$626 ฿21.0K

92.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$445 ฿15.0K

116.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,492 ฿50.2K

5.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$3,483 ฿117.1K

46.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$2,577 ฿86.7K

46.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$500 ฿16.8K

478.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.33

-6.00%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal 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 478% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 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

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 $3,127 per month in Montreal 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 37% 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 $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 Montreal at $2,085. 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 $1,250 versus $2,085 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.