Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alert Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alert

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $2,298 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $3,296 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $4,293 in Alert, rent included.

Phuket is about 45% cheaper than Alert, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Alert is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$16.15 CA$22.25

-72.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$60.6 CA$83.4

-42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$10.45 CA$14.40

-14.26%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.21 CA$4.42

-6.54%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$2.25 CA$3.11

-65.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.89 CA$2.60

-75.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.87 CA$6.71

-50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$5.09 CA$7.01

-26.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.29 CA$3.16

-20.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$2.88 CA$3.97

-50.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$3.26 CA$4.49

-52.45%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.38 CA$4.65

-36.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$10.48 CA$14.45

88.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$13.02 CA$17.94

-73.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$16.92 CA$23.32

-34.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.32 CA$4.57

-12.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.26 CA$1.73

31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$3.82 CA$5.26

-40.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$3.84 CA$5.29

-45.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$2.60 CA$3.58

-43.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$2.26 CA$3.11

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$2.54 CA$3.50

-57.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.68 CA$2.31

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$15.07 CA$20.76

-70.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$11.99 CA$16.52

56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.87 CA$3.95

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.19 CA$4.39

-7.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$2.66 CA$3.67

-15.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$56.3 CA$77.6

-59.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$3.22 CA$4.43

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.26 CA$1.74

-13.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$20.64 CA$28.44

-81.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.14 CA$1.58

30.70%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

-2.26%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$19.5K CA$26.8K

41.43%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$148 CA$204

-31.12%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$44.56 CA$61.4

-74.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$64.9 CA$89.4

-72.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$44.97 CA$62.0

20.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$19.53 CA$26.91

-43.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$11.68 CA$16.09

-32.79%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$727 CA$1,001

-20.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$12.4K CA$17.1K

-6.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$59.8 CA$82.4

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$44.97 CA$62.0

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$94.7 CA$131

4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$113 CA$155

-19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$1,278 CA$1,761

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$1,179 CA$1,624

-58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$1,821 CA$2,509

14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$1,561 CA$2,150

-22.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$4,431 CA$6,104

-18.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$3,175 CA$4,374

-17.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.68

19.02%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Alert: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $1,278 in Alert. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket versus $61.0 in Alert. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $372 – 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

Phuket vs Alert: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $2,298 in Alert – roughly 82% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $3,448 in Alert. 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.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Alert, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket and $61.0 in Alert. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Alert at $2,298. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alert 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $2,298 in Alert. 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, Alert makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.