Cost of Living Comparison Between Ontario, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ontario, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,647 in Ontario, CA versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Ontario, CA versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,837 in Ontario, CA versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in Ontario, CA is roughly 116% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ontario, CA is 99% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 $17.99

$4.51 ฿147

298.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$46.62 ฿1,515

72.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$8.49 ฿276

42.64%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$3.08 ฿100

70.78%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$0.68 ฿22.07

298.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.36 ฿11.75

447.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$2.43 ฿78.8

182.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$3.63 ฿118

98.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.19 ฿71.1

-50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.81 ฿59.0

118.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.23 ฿72.5

86.55%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$2.24 ฿72.7

79.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 $10.72

$19.60 ฿637

-45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 $8.78

$3.72 ฿121

136.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 $14.28

$13.47 ฿438

6.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.36 ฿109

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.62 ฿52.5

2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.41 ฿78.3

63.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$1.99 ฿64.6

172.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.53 ฿49.76

113.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.45 ฿47.19

103.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.01 ฿32.96

42.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.48 ฿15.73

341.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$4.27 ฿139

158.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.13 $16.13

$19.12 ฿621

-15.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.84 ฿59.7

8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.74 ฿89.1

25.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 ฿46.06

39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 $6.78

$3.00 ฿97.6

126.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.05 ฿34.00

302.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.03 $29.03

$13.90 ฿452

108.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.29 ฿41.94

-3.10%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$28.0K ฿911.1K

-10.44%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-12.83%

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

$254 $254

$122 ฿3,964

107.85%

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

$46.05 $46.05

$13.93 ฿453

230.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 $57.6

$18.87 ฿613

205.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$61.3 ฿1,992

65.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$13.97 $13.97

$8.89 ฿289

57.14%

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

$1,185 $1,185

$691 ฿22.5K

71.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$16.2K ฿525.2K

46.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.24 $47.24

$57.8 ฿1,878

-18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 $33.89

$35.39 ฿1,150

-4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$113 ฿3,685

-24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$83.0 ฿2,698

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$607 ฿19.7K

213.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$448 ฿14.6K

206.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,883 $2,883

$2,029 ฿66.0K

42.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,953 $2,953

$1,493 ฿48.5K

97.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,960 $3,960

$3,585 ฿116.5K

10.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,694 $3,694

$2,585 ฿84.0K

42.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 $3,570

$505 ฿16.4K

607.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

5.33

23.45%

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

Last update for Ontario, CA: June 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,903 in Ontario, CA and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 607% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Ontario, CA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Ontario, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ontario, CA pays 607% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,903 in Ontario, CA versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,647 per month in Ontario, CA versus $1,223 in Phuket – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,647 in Ontario, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ontario, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ontario, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ontario, CA and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.