Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arviat

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,189 in Arviat, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Arviat, Canada
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Arviat
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,189
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Arviat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Arviat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,189 in Arviat.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Arviat $2,189

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,243 in Arviat.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Arviat $3,243

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,297 in Arviat.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Arviat $4,297

Living in Phuket costs roughly 42% less than in Arviat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Arviat is 61% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$17.53 CA$24.51
-74.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
$63.3 CA$88.6
-48.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$10.86 CA$15.19
-18.88%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
$3.76 CA$5.26
-24.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
$2.00 CA$2.80
-56.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$1.67 CA$2.34
-70.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
$5.10 CA$7.13
-49.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.72 CA$8.00
-35.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.12 CA$2.96
-21.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
$2.59 CA$3.62
-43.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$3.67 CA$5.14
-59.13%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
$3.55 CA$4.96
-41.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
$9.78 CA$13.68
94.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$10.52 CA$14.72
-68.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$14.80 CA$20.70
-26.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
$3.43 CA$4.80
-14.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$1.20 CA$1.67
40.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$3.89 CA$5.45
-42.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$4.27 CA$5.97
-51.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$2.16 CA$3.02
-30.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
$2.54 CA$3.56
-45.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
$2.10 CA$2.94
-49.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
$1.62 CA$2.27
-67.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$14.07 CA$19.68
-70.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
$11.34 CA$15.87
65.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$2.69 CA$3.77
-32.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
$3.12 CA$4.36
-8.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$2.24 CA$3.13
-35.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
$60.6 CA$84.8
-6.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.89 CA$4.05
4.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
$1.43 CA$2.00
-28.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$25.36 CA$35.47
-85.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$1.18 CA$1.65
24.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
$24.0K CA$33.5K
11.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
$21.8K CA$30.5K
22.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
$142 CA$198
-32.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$35.93 CA$50.3
-68.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$51.8 CA$72.4
-67.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$33.89 CA$47.40
98.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
$16.43 CA$22.98
-34.69%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$10.08 CA$14.09
-25.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
$681 CA$953
-30.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
$12.6K CA$17.6K
-10.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
$63.1 CA$88.3
-1.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
$39.95 CA$55.9
-28.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
$98.3 CA$137
-4.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
$112 CA$157
-23.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$1,187 CA$1,660
-39.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
$1,070 CA$1,497
-54.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
$1,854 CA$2,594
3.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
$1,776 CA$2,484
-19.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
$4,712 CA$6,591
-11.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
$3,477 CA$4,863
-12.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Arviat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Arviat: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Arviat
$1.1K 118% $579
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Arviat
$345 29.7% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Arviat
$229 84.3% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Arviat
$141 15.8% $19
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Arviat
$270 122% $148
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Arviat
$54 34.3% $28
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Arviat
$80 12.8% $9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,187 in Arviat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $63 in Arviat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $345 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇦 Arviat
🕒 Local time
17:21 5:21 PM
05:21 5:21 AM
12 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
2,800
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Arviat 12,270 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Arviat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arviat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Arviat?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $2,189 in Arviat, so Phuket is about 42% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Arviat?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $3,283 in Arviat to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Arviat?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,187 in Arviat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Arviat?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $681 in Arviat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Arviat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,189 in Arviat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Arviat. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Arviat?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Arviat?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Arviat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?