Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chur

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,283 in Chur, rent and utilities included – about $24,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Chur, Switzerland
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Chur
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,283
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Chur

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 Chur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $3,283 in Chur, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Chur $3,283

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $5,109 in Chur, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Chur $5,109

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $6,934 in Chur, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Chur $6,934

Phuket is about 61% cheaper than Chur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Chur is 141% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$29.44 CHF 24.28
-84.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$111 CHF 91.4
-70.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$15.99 CHF 13.19
-44.90%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$5.67 CHF 4.68
-50.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$5.51 CHF 4.54
-84.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$5.08 CHF 4.19
-90.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$8.69 CHF 7.16
-70.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$8.68 CHF 7.16
-57.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.15 CHF 1.78
-22.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$3.42 CHF 2.82
-57.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$4.22 CHF 3.48
-64.45%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$7.59 CHF 6.26
-72.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$26.51 CHF 21.87
-28.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$26.64 CHF 21.98
-87.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$39.08 CHF 32.24
-72.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$3.42 CHF 2.82
-14.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.13 CHF 1.75
-20.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.68 CHF 2.21
-16.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$4.58 CHF 3.78
-54.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.89 CHF 1.56
-20.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$2.18 CHF 1.80
-36.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$2.36 CHF 1.95
-54.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$1.36 CHF 1.12
-61.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$10.94 CHF 9.03
-61.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$12.75 CHF 10.52
47.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.38 CHF 1.96
-23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$3.40 CHF 2.80
-16.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Chur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$5.47 CHF 4.52
-73.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$184 CHF 152
-69.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$7.46 CHF 6.16
-59.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$4.94 CHF 4.08
-79.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$88.7 CHF 73.2
-95.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$2.22 CHF 1.83
-33.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$39.1K CHF 32.2K
-31.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$38.5K CHF 31.7K
-30.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$232 CHF 191
-58.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$31.60 CHF 26.07
-64.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$53.8 CHF 44.39
-68.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$78.3 CHF 64.6
-14.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$33.63 CHF 27.74
-68.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$23.22 CHF 19.15
-67.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$2,413 CHF 1,990
-80.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$44.9K CHF 37.0K
-74.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$91.1 CHF 75.2
-31.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$48.03 CHF 39.62
-40.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$120 CHF 98.9
-21.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$169 CHF 139
-49.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Chur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,715 CHF 1,414
-58.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,379 CHF 1,137
-64.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$3,015 CHF 2,487
-36.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$2,550 CHF 2,104
-43.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$7,109 CHF 5,864
-41.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$5,446 CHF 4,492
-44.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Chur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$8,497 CHF 7,009
-94.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
1.72
223.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chur: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Chur
$1.4K 181% $888
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Chur
$576 117% $310
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Chur
$318 155% $193
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Chur
$193 58.1% $71
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Chur
$455 274% $333
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Chur
$125 51.7% $42
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Chur
$238 238% $168

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,715 in Chur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chur are about 17 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $111 in Chur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $576 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇭 Chur
🕒 Local time
08:40 8:40 AM
02:40 2:40 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
37,082
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Chur 9,280 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Chur

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 Chur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Chur compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $3,283 in Chur – Phuket comes out roughly 61% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Chur?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $4,924 in Chur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Chur?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,715 in Chur.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Chur?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $2,413 in Chur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 116% more in Chur, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Chur at $3,283. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Phuket or Chur?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Phuket or Chur safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Phuket and Chur?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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