Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,472 per month in New Westminster vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,911 per month in New Westminster vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,351 per month in New Westminster vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

New Westminster costs about 95% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

New Westminster sits 84% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 CA$20.63

$4.70 ฿153

215.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 CA$101

$45.37 ฿1,482

60.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 CA$13.43

$8.43 ฿275

14.59%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.39

$2.93 ฿95.6

32.42%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$0.69 ฿22.40

197.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$0.37 ฿11.99

283.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.47

$2.41 ฿78.6

152.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 CA$9.28

$3.72 ฿122

79.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.25

$2.23 ฿72.9

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 CA$3.40

$1.83 ฿59.8

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.21

$2.17 ฿70.8

72.35%

Eggs

$3.42 CA$4.76

$2.21 ฿72.3

54.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 CA$14.12

$19.74 ฿645

-48.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 CA$14.26

$3.63 ฿119

182.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.01 CA$13.93

$13.53 ฿442

-26.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.28

$3.28 ฿107

-6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.61 ฿52.6

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.41 ฿78.6

22.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.08 ฿68.1

79.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$1.53 ฿49.93

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.48 ฿48.36

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$0.99 ฿32.29

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.94

$0.51 ฿16.67

313.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.99 CA$22.23

$4.41 ฿144

262.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 CA$17.52

$19.38 ฿633

-34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$1.78 ฿58.1

23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$2.71 ฿88.6

7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$1.37 ฿44.79

89.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.9 CA$133

$11.39 ฿372

742.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$3.02 ฿98.6

-24.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 CA$2.31

$0.99 ฿32.48

67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.28 CA$32.37

$14.10 ฿461

65.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.36 ฿44.51

-2.21%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-12.33%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.60%

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

$117 CA$163

$122 ฿3,975

-3.53%

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

$45.91 CA$63.8

$13.57 ฿443

238.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 CA$92.2

$18.31 ฿598

261.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.64 CA$48.17

$60.2 ฿1,967

-42.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.46 CA$25.67

$17.14 ฿560

7.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 CA$16.69

$8.69 ฿284

38.09%

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

$820 CA$1,141

$693 ฿22.6K

18.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,202 CA$11.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.31 CA$65.8

$59.5 ฿1,944

-20.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 CA$47.31

$34.77 ฿1,136

-2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 CA$114

$115 ฿3,743

-28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$144

$83.3 ฿2,720

24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 CA$2,263

$613 ฿20.0K

165.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 CA$1,885

$437 ฿14.3K

210.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,968 CA$4,127

$2,094 ฿68.4K

41.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 CA$3,758

$1,509 ฿49.3K

79.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,826 CA$6,712

$3,749 ฿122.5K

28.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,068 CA$5,657

$2,616 ฿85.4K

55.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,133 CA$4,356

$508 ฿16.6K

516.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

5.33

20.83%

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

Last update for New Westminster: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in New Westminster 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 517% higher in New Westminster, 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 New Westminster versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 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

New Westminster vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Westminster costs about 95% 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 $3,707 per month in New Westminster 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 $820 per month in New Westminster 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 12% more in New Westminster, 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 New Westminster at $2,472. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Westminster it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,472 in New Westminster. 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, New Westminster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.