Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,184 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,477 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,770 in Duncan BC.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 44% less than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Duncan BC is 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿146

$18.34 CA$25.49

-75.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,071

$71.7 CA$99.7

-55.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$11.00 CA$15.29

-18.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.1

$4.04 CA$5.61

-28.22%

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

$0.88 ฿29.22

$2.19 CA$3.04

-59.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.97

$1.74 CA$2.42

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.1

$5.30 CA$7.37

-55.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.84 CA$8.12

-36.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿61.9

$1.63 CA$2.27

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.68

$2.65 CA$3.68

-44.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.5

$4.45 CA$6.19

-65.17%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.8

$4.01 CA$5.58

-47.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿650

$11.67 CA$16.22

67.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$13.76 CA$19.13

-75.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$14.54 CA$20.21

-21.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.1

$4.40 CA$6.11

-32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.9

$1.34 CA$1.86

25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.3

$3.94 CA$5.48

-43.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.8

$4.00 CA$5.56

-46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$2.84 CA$3.95

-46.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.43

$2.98 CA$4.14

-55.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.47

$2.66 CA$3.70

-57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.14

$1.65 CA$2.30

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$14.17 CA$19.70

-69.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿634

$12.00 CA$16.68

59.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.1

$2.72 CA$3.78

-34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.4

$2.95 CA$4.11

-5.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.0

$2.04 CA$2.83

9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿755

$74.7 CA$104

-69.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.75 CA$3.82

10.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.96

$1.60 CA$2.23

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$32.57 CA$45.27

-88.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.50

$1.27 CA$1.76

17.32%

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

$26.6K ฿882.5K

$26.6K CA$37.0K

-0.04%

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

$27.0K ฿897.4K

$19.5K CA$27.2K

38.36%

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

$102 ฿3,402

$77.8 CA$108

31.76%

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

$11.33 ฿376

$35.64 CA$49.55

-68.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$50.2 CA$69.8

-65.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,729

$62.1 CA$86.3

-16.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿255

$11.68 CA$16.23

-34.16%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$1,064 CA$1,480

-47.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.0K

$10.1K CA$14.1K

13.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,093

$57.2 CA$79.4

10.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿980

$34.66 CA$48.18

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,254

$86.9 CA$121

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,938

$92.2 CA$128

-4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$1,250 CA$1,738

-40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$1,060 CA$1,474

-54.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿69.9K

$2,294 CA$3,188

-8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.7K

$2,166 CA$3,010

-43.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.1K

$4,425 CA$6,152

-18.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.4K

$3,642 CA$5,062

-28.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$3,112 CA$4,326

-84.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.21

32.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 530% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $72.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $378 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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 530% lower in Duncan BC. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $72.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,184 in Duncan BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Duncan BC 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 77% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.