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 $2,598 per month in New Westminster vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,053 per month in New Westminster vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,507 per month in New Westminster vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

New Westminster costs about 111% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

New Westminster sits 90% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 CA$27.99

$4.41 ฿146

356.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.3

$32.26 ฿1,071

76.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.72

$8.93 ฿297

18.59%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$2.90 ฿96.1

21.72%

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

$2.00 CA$2.78

$0.88 ฿29.22

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$0.48 ฿15.97

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 CA$8.64

$2.35 ฿78.1

164.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$3.72 ฿124

55.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 CA$2.55

$1.87 ฿61.9

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.47 ฿48.68

63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$1.55 ฿51.5

125.81%

Eggs

$3.16 CA$4.40

$2.10 ฿69.8

50.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 CA$15.34

$19.59 ฿650

-43.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.94 CA$22.15

$3.42 ฿114

366.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.99 CA$37.52

$11.38 ฿378

137.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.98 ฿99.1

25.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.68 ฿55.9

-25.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.13

$2.21 ฿73.3

66.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$2.16 ฿71.8

74.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$1.52 ฿50.6

55.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.18

$1.34 ฿44.43

70.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$1.13 ฿37.47

104.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$0.55 ฿18.14

247.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.15

$4.26 ฿142

274.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 CA$15.05

$19.09 ฿634

-43.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.78 ฿59.1

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$2.78 ฿92.4

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$2.23 ฿74.0

11.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.5 CA$129

$22.74 ฿755

306.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$3.03 ฿101

-29.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.55

$1.02 ฿33.96

79.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.74 CA$31.61

$3.89 ฿129

484.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.49 ฿49.50

-15.44%

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

$24.1K CA$33.5K

$26.6K ฿882.5K

-9.34%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$27.0K ฿897.4K

-28.86%

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

$140 CA$195

$102 ฿3,402

36.65%

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

$44.79 CA$62.3

$11.33 ฿376

295.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.5

$17.40 ฿578

274.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.08 CA$47.38

$52.1 ฿1,729

-34.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 CA$24.64

$11.07 ฿368

60.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.20

$7.69 ฿255

60.99%

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

$789 CA$1,097

$561 ฿18.6K

40.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,840 CA$10.9K

$11.5K ฿382.0K

-31.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$63.0 ฿2,093

-15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 CA$48.45

$29.52 ฿980

18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 CA$111

$98.0 ฿3,254

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$140

$88.5 ฿2,938

13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 CA$2,186

$738 ฿24.5K

113.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 CA$1,895

$482 ฿16.0K

182.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CA$4,047

$2,107 ฿69.9K

38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 CA$3,674

$1,226 ฿40.7K

115.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,777 CA$6,641

$3,617 ฿120.1K

32.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,094 CA$5,692

$2,603 ฿86.4K

57.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,141 CA$4,366

$494 ฿16.4K

536.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

5.57

-15.26%

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

Last update for New Westminster: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in New Westminster versus $738 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 536% 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 $57.0 in New Westminster versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $274 – 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 111% 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 $3,898 per month in New Westminster and $1,847 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 $789 per month in New Westminster and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $1,232, than in New Westminster at $2,598. 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 $1,232 versus $2,598 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.