Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,737 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,746 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 27% less than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Fort St John, BC is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$13.80 CA$19.10

-65.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$44.90 CA$62.2

1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.53 CA$13.20

-11.54%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.31 CA$5.97

-32.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.85 CA$2.57

-62.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.25 CA$1.73

-70.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$6.35 CA$8.79

-62.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.60 CA$7.76

-33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.35 CA$3.25

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$3.29 CA$4.55

-44.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.94 CA$5.45

-44.92%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.86 CA$5.35

-42.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.57 CA$9.10

200.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$12.13 CA$16.79

-70.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$19.41 CA$26.87

-30.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.22 CA$7.23

-37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.68 CA$0.94

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.85 CA$5.33

-37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.75 CA$5.19

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$5.22 CA$7.23

-70.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.90 CA$4.02

-48.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.51 CA$3.47

-60.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$2.25 CA$3.11

-77.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$14.68 CA$20.33

-69.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$21.27 CA$29.44

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.95 CA$4.08

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.02 CA$4.18

-10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.45 CA$2.00

-5.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$29.49 CA$40.84

-61.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$7.24 CA$10.03

-58.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.02 CA$1.41

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$26.28 CA$36.38

-46.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.26 CA$1.75

7.94%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$25.2K CA$34.9K

11.89%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.5K CA$28.4K

60.43%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$86.3 CA$119

41.04%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$104 CA$144

-86.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$65.1 CA$90.1

-71.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$55.9 CA$77.3

7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.91 CA$15.10

-20.35%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$745 CA$1,032

-6.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

34.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$74.3 CA$103

-19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$48.13 CA$66.6

-27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.7 CA$117

35.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$145 CA$201

-42.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$589 CA$815

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$552 CA$765

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,302 CA$1,803

60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,125 CA$1,557

34.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,124 CA$4,325

-83.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.45

-28.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $589 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 515% 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 $45.00 in Fort St John, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $412 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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fort St John, BC earns 515% 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 $589 in Fort St John, BC. 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 $45.00 in Fort St John, BC. 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 $1,728 in Fort St John, BC – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort St John, 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 Fort St John, BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Fort St John, 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 37% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.