Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,534 per month in Ottawa vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Ottawa vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,722 per month in Ottawa vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 100% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ottawa sits 89% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.49 CA$25.71

$4.70 ฿153

293.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$45.37 ฿1,482

64.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 CA$15.90

$8.43 ฿275

35.59%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.43

$2.93 ฿95.6

33.11%

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

$2.06 CA$2.87

$0.69 ฿22.40

198.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.37 ฿11.99

364.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$2.41 ฿78.6

149.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$3.72 ฿122

75.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.23 ฿72.9

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.79

$1.83 ฿59.8

48.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.61

$2.17 ฿70.8

53.00%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.98

$2.21 ฿72.3

61.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.78

$19.74 ฿645

-42.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.37

$3.63 ฿119

263.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 CA$21.88

$13.53 ฿442

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.82

$3.28 ฿107

27.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.61 ฿52.6

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.73

$2.41 ฿78.6

41.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.08 ฿68.1

74.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$1.53 ฿49.93

64.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$1.48 ฿48.36

114.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$0.99 ฿32.29

130.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$0.51 ฿16.67

207.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$19.16

$4.41 ฿144

212.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.04

$19.38 ฿633

-44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$1.78 ฿58.1

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.71 ฿88.6

14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$1.37 ฿44.79

120.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CA$136

$11.39 ฿372

757.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.99

$3.02 ฿98.6

-4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$0.99 ฿32.48

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.58 CA$27.22

$14.10 ฿461

38.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.36 ฿44.51

-18.38%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-10.18%

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

$21.6K CA$30.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.34%

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

$164 CA$228

$122 ฿3,975

34.86%

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

$42.87 CA$59.6

$13.57 ฿443

215.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.7

$18.31 ฿598

181.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 CA$66.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

-20.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.23 CA$22.58

$17.14 ฿560

-5.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 CA$15.15

$8.69 ฿284

25.43%

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

$898 CA$1,249

$693 ฿22.6K

29.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

2.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$59.5 ฿1,944

-10.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 CA$56.4

$34.77 ฿1,136

16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 CA$126

$115 ฿3,743

-20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 CA$132

$83.3 ฿2,720

14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 CA$2,086

$613 ฿20.0K

144.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$437 ฿14.3K

194.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,250

$2,094 ฿68.4K

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 CA$2,651

$1,509 ฿49.3K

26.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,478 CA$6,228

$3,749 ฿122.5K

19.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 CA$6,542

$2,616 ฿85.4K

79.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 CA$5,091

$508 ฿16.6K

620.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

5.33

2.81%

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

Last update for Ottawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,500 in Ottawa 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 620% higher in Ottawa, 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 $75.0 in Ottawa versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 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

Ottawa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,534 in Ottawa, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 100% apart. Ottawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,801 per month in Ottawa 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,534 in Ottawa and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 758% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Ottawa at $2,534. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,534 in Ottawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.