๐A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $3,526 in Altstรคtten, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $5,310 in Altstรคtten, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $7,094 in Altstรคtten, rent included.
๐Phuket is about 64% cheaper than Altstรคtten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Altstรคtten is 163% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70เธฟ153
$31.23CHFย 24.62
-84.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37เธฟ1,482
$144CHFย 114
-68.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43เธฟ275
$18.53CHFย 14.61
-54.51%
Cappuccino
$2.93เธฟ95.6
$6.07CHFย 4.79
-51.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.40
$5.40CHFย 4.26
-87.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.99
$4.88CHFย 3.84
-92.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$8.18CHFย 6.45
-70.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72เธฟ122
$7.31CHFย 5.76
-49.11%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23เธฟ72.9
$2.19CHFย 1.72
1.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83เธฟ59.8
$3.50CHFย 2.76
-47.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17เธฟ70.8
$4.18CHFย 3.29
-48.09%
Eggs
$2.21เธฟ72.3
$7.61CHFย 6.00
-70.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74เธฟ645
$28.87CHFย 22.76
-31.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63เธฟ119
$33.01CHFย 26.03
-89.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53เธฟ442
$47.87CHFย 37.74
-71.74%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28เธฟ107
$3.80CHFย 2.99
-13.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61เธฟ52.6
$2.34CHFย 1.85
-31.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$2.88CHFย 2.27
-16.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ68.1
$6.36CHFย 5.02
-67.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.93
$2.46CHFย 1.94
-37.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.36
$2.40CHFย 1.89
-38.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99เธฟ32.29
$2.52CHFย 1.98
-60.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.67
$1.32CHFย 1.04
-61.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ144
$11.18CHFย 8.81
-60.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38เธฟ633
$13.81CHFย 10.89
40.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78เธฟ58.1
$2.38CHFย 1.88
-25.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71เธฟ88.6
$3.34CHFย 2.63
-18.86%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37เธฟ44.79
$3.96CHFย 3.12
-65.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39เธฟ372
$97.2CHFย 76.6
-88.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02เธฟ98.6
$7.75CHFย 6.11
-61.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99เธฟ32.48
$4.15CHFย 3.27
-76.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10เธฟ461
$81.5CHFย 64.3
-82.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36เธฟ44.51
$2.15CHFย 1.69
-36.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2Kเธฟ921.1K
$39.8KCHFย 31.4K
-29.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$42.1KCHFย 33.2K
-21.92%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122เธฟ3,975
$257CHFย 203
-52.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57เธฟ443
$48.17CHFย 37.98
-71.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31เธฟ598
$59.0CHFย 46.55
-68.99%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2เธฟ1,967
$88.9CHFย 70.1
-32.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14เธฟ560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69เธฟ284
$22.54CHFย 17.77
-61.45%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693เธฟ22.6K
$2,895CHFย 2,282
-76.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7Kเธฟ512.3K
$34.3KCHFย 27.0K
-54.28%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,944
$139CHFย 109
-57.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77เธฟ1,136
$68.0CHFย 53.6
-48.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,743
$150CHFย 118
-23.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3เธฟ2,720
$188CHFย 148
-55.69%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613เธฟ20.0K
$1,691CHFย 1,334
-63.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437เธฟ14.3K
$1,489CHFย 1,174
-70.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094เธฟ68.4K
$2,812CHFย 2,217
-25.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509เธฟ49.3K
$2,475CHFย 1,951
-39.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749เธฟ122.5K
$14.3KCHFย 11.3K
-73.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616เธฟ85.4K
$10.2KCHFย 8,071
-74.45%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Altstรคtten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508เธฟ16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.5
113.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Altstรคtten: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,691 in Altstรคtten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $144 in Altstรคtten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $660 โ 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 Altstรคtten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Altstรคtten cheaper than Phuket?
Yes โ Altstรคtten is pricier by about 179%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $5,289 in Altstรคtten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Altstรคtten?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $3,526 in Altstรคtten. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 753% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Altstรคtten?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Altstรคtten at $3,526. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstรคtten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Altstรคtten more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Altstรคtten?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Altstรคtten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.