Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,058 per month in Montreux vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,760 per month in Montreux vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,462 per month in Montreux vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Montreux costs about 221% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreux sits 203% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.85

$4.70 ฿153

543.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$45.37 ฿1,482

228.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.89 CHF 14.90

$8.43 ฿275

124.08%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.74

$2.93 ฿95.6

105.46%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$0.69 ฿22.40

710.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CHF 3.74

$0.37 ฿11.99

1183.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.58

$2.41 ฿78.6

298.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.67 CHF 6.84

$3.72 ฿122

133.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 3.00

$1.83 ฿59.8

107.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$2.17 ฿70.8

103.23%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.55

$2.21 ฿72.3

218.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.06 CHF 22.91

$19.74 ฿645

47.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.44 CHF 22.42

$3.63 ฿119

683.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.85 CHF 34.57

$13.53 ฿442

224.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$3.28 ฿107

22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$1.61 ฿52.6

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.28

$2.41 ฿78.6

19.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.05

$2.08 ฿68.1

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$1.53 ฿49.93

107.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$1.48 ฿48.36

64.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$0.99 ฿32.29

154.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$0.51 ฿16.67

207.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$4.41 ฿144

146.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CHF 11.17

$19.38 ฿633

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.60

$1.78 ฿58.1

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.39

$2.71 ฿88.6

12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$1.37 ฿44.79

194.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 70.6

$11.39 ฿372

685.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.37

$3.02 ฿98.6

167.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$0.99 ฿32.48

316.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.7 CHF 52.6

$14.10 ฿461

372.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.36 ฿44.51

66.18%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

41.22%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

27.51%

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

$308 CHF 243

$122 ฿3,975

153.25%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.46

$13.57 ฿443

268.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.81

$18.31 ฿598

217.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 63.4

$60.2 ฿1,967

33.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$17.14 ฿560

115.81%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 CHF 17.81

$8.69 ฿284

159.84%

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

$2,617 CHF 2,064

$693 ฿22.6K

277.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

115.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.0

$59.5 ฿1,944

83.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.1

$34.77 ฿1,136

97.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$115 ฿3,743

53.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$83.3 ฿2,720

120.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,717

$613 ฿20.0K

255.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,582

$437 ฿14.3K

359.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,327 CHF 2,623

$2,094 ฿68.4K

58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 CHF 2,167

$1,509 ฿49.3K

82.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

345.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,808 CHF 6,944

$2,616 ฿85.4K

236.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,425 CHF 6,642

$508 ฿16.6K

1558.16%

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 Montreux: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,177 in Montreux 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 1558% higher in Montreux, 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 $149 in Montreux versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $632 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

Montreux vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreux is pricier by about 221%, 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 $6,088 per month in Montreux 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.

Kindergarten costs $2,617 per month in Montreux and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% more in Montreux, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Montreux at $4,058. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreux 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, Montreux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.