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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Montreal costs about 63% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreal sits 54% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$4.70 ฿153

238.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$45.37 ฿1,482

61.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$8.43 ฿275

32.27%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$2.93 ฿95.6

29.69%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$0.69 ฿22.40

215.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.37 ฿11.99

294.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$2.41 ฿78.6

153.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$3.72 ฿122

82.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.23 ฿72.9

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$1.83 ฿59.8

85.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.17 ฿70.8

71.89%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$2.21 ฿72.3

52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$19.74 ฿645

-17.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$3.63 ฿119

217.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$13.53 ฿442

12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.28 ฿107

14.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.61 ฿52.6

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$2.41 ฿78.6

70.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$2.08 ฿68.1

109.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.53 ฿49.93

77.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.48 ฿48.36

77.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$0.99 ฿32.29

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.51 ฿16.67

239.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$4.41 ฿144

201.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$19.38 ฿633

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$1.78 ฿58.1

69.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.71 ฿88.6

27.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.37 ฿44.79

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$11.39 ฿372

538.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.02 ฿98.6

20.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.99 ฿32.48

47.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$14.10 ฿461

137.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.36 ฿44.51

-11.03%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-12.61%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.09%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$122 ฿3,975

-37.53%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$13.57 ฿443

163.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$18.31 ฿598

134.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$60.2 ฿1,967

-28.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$17.14 ฿560

0.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$8.69 ฿284

27.62%

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

$620 CA$862

$693 ฿22.6K

-10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-62.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$59.5 ฿1,944

5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$34.77 ฿1,136

27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$115 ฿3,743

-12.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$83.3 ฿2,720

42.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$613 ฿20.0K

97.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$437 ฿14.3K

119.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,509 ฿49.3K

5.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$3,749 ฿122.5K

38.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$2,616 ฿85.4K

50.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$508 ฿16.6K

482.54%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal 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 483% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 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

Montreal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 63% 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 $3,094 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 34% 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 $73.0 in Montreal 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 Montreal at $2,063. 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 $2,063 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.