Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,289 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,945 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $6,600 in Buchs.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 62% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Buchs is 145% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$29.59 CHF 23.57

-84.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$105 CHF 83.6

-56.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$11.57 CHF 9.22

-27.14%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$3.44 CHF 2.74

-14.83%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$2.51 CHF 2.00

-72.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.98 CHF 1.58

-81.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.51 CHF 3.60

-46.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.24 CHF 4.17

-29.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.69 CHF 1.35

31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$3.01 CHF 2.40

-39.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$4.04 CHF 3.21

-46.29%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$4.83 CHF 3.85

-54.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$30.94 CHF 24.64

-36.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$14.90 CHF 11.87

-75.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$50.6 CHF 40.33

-73.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.59 CHF 2.86

-8.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$2.11 CHF 1.68

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.94 CHF 2.34

-18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$6.15 CHF 4.90

-66.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.43 CHF 1.93

-37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$2.41 CHF 1.92

-38.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$2.70 CHF 2.15

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-60.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$11.08 CHF 8.82

-60.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$14.16 CHF 11.28

36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$2.42 CHF 1.93

-26.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$3.43 CHF 2.73

-20.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$2.49 CHF 1.99

-44.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$86.2 CHF 68.6

-86.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$7.91 CHF 6.30

-61.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$3.50 CHF 2.79

-71.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$89.3 CHF 71.1

-84.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$2.17 CHF 1.73

-37.33%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$30.4K CHF 24.2K

-7.16%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$42.2K CHF 33.6K

-22.05%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$185 CHF 147

-34.15%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$42.94 CHF 34.20

-68.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$55.4 CHF 44.14

-66.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$150 CHF 119

-59.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$17.44 CHF 13.89

-1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$14.57 CHF 11.61

-40.36%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$2,906 CHF 2,315

-76.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$33.7K CHF 26.8K

-53.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$137 CHF 109

-56.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$78.5 CHF 62.6

-55.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$134 CHF 106

-14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$162 CHF 129

-48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$1,823 CHF 1,452

-66.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,576 CHF 1,255

-72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$2,784 CHF 2,218

-24.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$2,489 CHF 1,983

-39.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$9,109 CHF 7,256

-94.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

166.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Buchs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,823 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1693% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $105 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $560 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

Phuket vs Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Buchs differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $3,289 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 1693% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,823 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $105 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $3,289 in Buchs – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,289 in Buchs, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Buchs. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Buchs 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 160% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.