Cost of Living Comparison Between North Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between North Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,389 per month in North Bay vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,527 per month in North Bay vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,665 per month in North Bay vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

North Bay costs about 89% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

North Bay sits 78% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CA$19.99

$4.70 ฿153

207.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 CA$112

$45.37 ฿1,482

77.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 CA$12.08

$8.43 ฿275

3.44%

Cappuccino

$3.28 CA$4.54

$2.93 ฿95.6

11.95%

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

$2.01 CA$2.79

$0.69 ฿22.40

191.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$0.37 ฿11.99

264.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.23 CA$7.24

$2.41 ฿78.6

117.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 CA$9.30

$3.72 ฿122

80.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 CA$2.49

$2.23 ฿72.9

-19.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$1.83 ฿59.8

27.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.78 CA$9.39

$2.17 ฿70.8

212.44%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.62

$2.21 ฿72.3

51.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.09 CA$29.20

$19.74 ฿645

6.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.30 CA$25.34

$3.63 ฿119

404.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.20

$13.53 ฿442

-18.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$3.28 ฿107

35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$1.61 ฿52.6

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.05

$2.41 ฿78.6

51.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.84

$2.08 ฿68.1

67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$1.53 ฿49.93

61.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CA$2.88

$1.48 ฿48.36

40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$0.99 ฿32.29

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$0.51 ฿16.67

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.65

$4.41 ฿144

205.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.79

$19.38 ฿633

-26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 CA$3.52

$1.78 ฿58.1

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 CA$4.71

$2.71 ฿88.6

25.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$1.37 ฿44.79

79.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 CA$103

$11.39 ฿372

555.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 CA$5.67

$3.02 ฿98.6

35.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$0.99 ฿32.48

7.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.37 CA$35.12

$14.10 ฿461

79.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.36 ฿44.51

-15.44%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-11.40%

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

$20.2K CA$27.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.71%

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

$146 CA$203

$122 ฿3,975

20.31%

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

$33.65 CA$46.59

$13.57 ฿443

147.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CA$82.8

$18.31 ฿598

226.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 CA$35.09

$60.2 ฿1,967

-57.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 CA$15.10

$8.69 ฿284

25.43%

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

$909 CA$1,259

$693 ฿22.6K

31.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

81.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.22 CA$61.2

$59.5 ฿1,944

-25.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.24 CA$25.25

$34.77 ฿1,136

-47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 CA$84.2

$115 ฿3,743

-46.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 CA$111

$83.3 ฿2,720

-3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 CA$1,884

$613 ฿20.0K

121.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 CA$1,734

$437 ฿14.3K

186.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,217

$2,094 ฿68.4K

10.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 CA$2,997

$1,509 ฿49.3K

43.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,172

$508 ฿16.6K

492.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.33

21.01%

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

Last update for North Bay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,361 in North Bay 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 493% higher in North Bay, 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 $81.0 in North Bay versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $436 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

North Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Bay costs about 89% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,583 per month in North Bay 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.

Public transport costs about 555% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $909 per month in North Bay and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in North Bay at $2,389. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,389 in North Bay. 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, North Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.